In Colorado, Extortion occurs when someone attempts to persuade another to not do a legal act or to do a legal act, by making a “substantial threat” to confine or restrain, cause economic hardship, or bodily injury to, or damage the property or reputation of the threatened person or another. Imagine this: “you let my son play first-string basketball, coach, or I will make sure your wife is fired from her job. Just to prove to you I have the power, I arranged for your wife to get disciplined for stealing from the petty cash drawer!” Here is a real life example of Extortion charges in Pitkin County.
Serious Consequences are Likely from this Crime
Extortion does not have to involve millions of dollars in a huge Denver scheme with a stock broker. It can occur in normal people’s lives as we sometimes seek to control the conduct of others. In Arapahoe and Douglas County, Extortion is seen as a sufficiently serious crime to justify a class 4 felony classification, with a potential two to six year prison term in the Colorado Department of Corrections. In many cases, District Attorneys will charge this crime without sufficient evidence. Driven by the desire to please police officers or attractive “victims”, the government will arrest and charge people without first considering the strength of the evidence or defenses.
As in the example above, in order for Extortion to be complete, connected to the threat, the accused must commit an unlawful act, employ the help of a 3rd person who acts, or threaten to report someone’s immigration status. An accomplice can also be some government official – even if they don’t know they are participating in the crime.
Aggravated Extortion in Denver and all Across Colorado
For Aggravated Extortion to occur, the defendant needs to also support their threats above by the use of poison, weapons or chemicals. Obviously, this type of threat would involve death or serious bodily injury, and the injury could spill over to others on a potentially large scale. With Aggravated Extortion in Jefferson and Adams County, the crime will be charged as a class 3 felony.
Extortion is a lot Like Bullying
Extortion, C.R.S. 18-3-207, is a lot like bullying another person. While the person you threaten is not actually injured, they or their loved ones are threatened with injury – or face physical harm or economic loss. Different than in high-school, adults cannot bully other adults without some sort of legal ramifications. Extortion is similar to Bribery. There is even a separate crime of Sports Bribery, C.R.S. 18-5-403.
If you or a loved one is facing charges of Extortion or Aggravated Extortion, call our well known criminal defense lawyer team. We are here to protect you from the government’s overcharging and overreaching behavior. Come in for a free consultation by calling 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.