Extortion

Extortion involves the unlawful collection of money, personal or real property, or some type of service from another in exchange for doing or not doing something negative to them, their property, or a loved one. It is the act of making the threat in order to leverage someone into doing something that is the actual extortion. Since the beginning of time mafia and street gangs have been doing this to business owners and regular citizens as a way to line their pockets. For purposes of Federal law, when one conveys through interstate or foreign commerce a transmission or communication in furtherance of an extortion plot they have subjected themselves to the jurisdiction of the Federal criminal justice system. This crime is a hybrid mix of a violent crime and a white collar crime as ultimately the sought after subject matter is money or something of value typically using the threat of force. As with any other crime if you have been charged or have received a target letter indicating to you that you are under investigation for this crime, your next move should be to speak with an experienced lawyer. Law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office take this crime very seriously. Now is certainly not the time to sit down with a Federal Agent without an attorney and one must never attempt to navigate these waters alone. The criminal lawyers at The Mayberry Law Firm are experienced Federal criminal lawyers who are eager to help you and represent your best interests through this time.

Extortion takes on many forms under Chapter 41 of the United States Code. Under 18 USC 872 an officer or employee of the United States or one who poses as such can commit extortion and be sentenced to up to one year in prison under certain circumstances and up to three years if the amount taken is over $1,000. One can commit blackmail under 18 USC 873 if one threatens to inform of a violation of United States Code or as consideration for not informing of any violation of United States Code receives something of value. Lastly, the most blanket type of this crime is found at 18 USC 875(b). This type of extortion occurs when one attempts to extort something of value for another and uses a transmission through interstate or foreign commerce in order to facilitate such extortion.

Like any other crime, an allegation of extortion is not something to take lightly. Because of the nature of the crime it is commonly linked with wire fraud or mail fraud, adding to the seriousness of the potential prison time. Each criminal attorney at The Mayberry Law Firm is experienced in our United States Court system and will take the time to ensure the best possible result on your case. Our attorneys are consistently working in the Federal system and are very up to date on its ever evolving body of law. We know the tactics used by prosecutors in prosecuting your case and how to overcome any attempt to increase a potential penalty. Though we can never guarantee a result in your case, we will guarantee that we will work diligently to ensure your rights are protected to the fullest extent possible.