Portland, Ore. — The letter Reba Newman found in her mailbox was simply addressed to "NFL Mom."

The contents were alarming: "U don't know me, but I know U," it read. "I want 10K in cash in a black bag set next to your garage door Friday night. If you tell the police and try to be a hero you will be responsible for the murder of your whole family ... I'm watching you."

About the same time as the note arrived Feb. 12 at the Portland home of the 65-year-old mother of former NFL player Anthony Newman, a similar threat was found in the mail at the Portland home of former NBA player Terrell Brandon's family.

Now, 41-year-old Bobby Hayes faces felony charges of theft by extortion and attempted theft by extortion. Police suspect Hayes wrote both letters demanding $10,000 from the families of the two former professional ballplayers, according to court papers.

While Reba Newman called 9-1-1 on Feb. 12 to report the threatening note the morning she found it, Brandon and a friend decided to put a phony bait bag outside Brandon's home the night of Friday, Feb. 15, to determine whether the letter was a hoax.

Brandon's friend, Timothy Upshaw, told police he saw a man arrive alone by car, look around and grab the bag out of the bushes. When the stranger opened the bag and saw a $1 bill on top of a stack of plain paper, Upshaw told police he overheard him say, "What the (expletive) is this?"

Police say Upshaw confronted the man, who ran.

At 10:29 p.m., a Portland resident called 9-1-1, saying he heard some men on the street with guns "talking about killing" someone.

When officers arrived, Upshaw and Brandon were with the man, and one of them waved down police. Officers handcuffed everyone, unsure what they were dealing with.

"Then the story comes out about this extortion," said Portland police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz.

Hayes had no weapon. Brandon and Upshaw, who both have concealed handgun licenses, apparently had put down their guns. They pointed to one lying near the curb, police said, and told officers another gun was on the trunk of a car at the scene. Hayes was taken into custody at 10:32 p.m., and Brandon and Upshaw accompanied officers to fill in the story.

While this was happening, other officers were at the Newman residence, "watching for a suspect" to arrive that same night in connection with a nearly identical extortion letter, Schmautz said. The letter had instructed both families to leave the money out between 9 and 11 p.m. Feb. 15.

Anthony Newman, 42, said that when his mother first told him about the letter, it sounded like something straight out of TV.

"I didn't think it was real," Newman said. "But we didn't know who we were dealing with."

As a result, Newman's family took precautions.

"It was terrible for my mother, and my wife and kids," Newman said. "Every day I had to look over my shoulder and worry if someone is going to do something. It's been a tough week for my family."

Newman said he doesn't know Hayes. On Thursday, he e-mailed about 150 friends and co-workers about the scam.

"To me, this is a major thing. ... It's disturbing. My face is out there. I'm not a guy who is hidden," Newman said. He said his father, Tony Newman, who spent 25 years as a Portland police officer, always told him, "never to underestimate people in desperate times."

"This is probably one of the strangest cases I've seen," said prosecutor Charles Mickley. "It's something that doesn't happen a whole lot here in Portland."

Newman and Brandon know each other. They both played at the University of Oregon.

Newman was in the NFL for 12 years, playing for the Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints. He has run a free football camp in Portland for 15 years and for the past three years has operated Anthony Newman Extreme Sports Camps for youth, teaching everything from football and basketball to rock climbing and swimming.

Brandon, 37, retired from the NBA in 2004 and operates Terrell Brandon's Barbershop in Portland. He spent the first six years of his career in Cleveland and was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game in 1996 and 1997. After playing for the Cavaliers, he also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Hayes was released from custody, posting 10 percent of his $25,000 bail. He has had prior contact with police on domestic violence-related charges and driving violations. The court ordered him to have no contact with the Newman and Brandon families. His next court date is March 4.

"Threatening innocent people, people who try to give back to the community, isn't right," Anthony Newman said.