Extortion Attorney Los Angeles

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Extortion Attorney Los Angeles

If you or a loved one has been charged with extortion in Los Angeles or elsewhere in the State of California under California Penal Code (CPC) Section 518, you should immediately contact Extortion Attorney Los Angeles at The H Law Group. Our extortion attorneys have the knowledge and experience to achieve the best possible results for you.

If you’ve been arrested for extortion, you should not take this charge lightly as it carries a maximum prison sentence of four (4) years in California State Prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000. So, if you’ve been charged with extortion, contact an extortion lawyer at The H Law Group as promptly as possible so that one of our attorneys can begin preparing a defense strategy for you. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at (213) 370-0404.

For the prosecution to convict an individual of extortion, it must show that he used force or threats to make another person give him property or money that does not belong to the defendant. The same applies if an individual threatens or uses force to convince a public or governmental official to perform or refrain from performing a specific act.

Extortion is commonly referred to as blackmail, and it encompasses a wide variety of activities, so it is easy for the prosecution to convict an individual of extortion without having to show that the individual intended to commit any other crime. California Penal Code outlines other activity that qualifies as extortion in CPC 532 and CPC 522.

The most common extortion cases that we see in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California, involve the following scenario: The defendant knows that John committed a crime, and so the defendant threatens to expose John’s crime to law enforcement unless John gives up his money or property to the defendant. In this case, the government can convict the defendant of prosecution because he used threats of exposing the victim to force the victim to give up money or property.

So, if you have been charged with extortion, you should immediately contact a Los Angeles extortion attorney at The H Law Group to defend you and achieve the best possible results for you. Our attorneys are knowledgeable and have helped countless individuals achieve great results with respect to their criminal cases. Also, if you’re being questioned by law enforcement personnel, you should not make any statement, even if you think you’re making innocent statements because they will be used against you.

ELEMENTS OF EXTORTION UNDER CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE SECTION 518

For the prosecution to convict an individual of extortion under California Penal Code Section 518, it must prove the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

  • The defendant threatened to hurt his victim, the victim’s family member, or cause injury to the victim’s property. This element can also be satisfied by showing that the defendant threatened to disclose a secret about his victim or his victim’s family unless the victim gives up his money or property.
  • The defendant had the specific intent to use force or fear to get the victim to give up his money or property to the defendant, or the defendant threatened to use his power to perform an official act to get his victim to give up his money or property.
  • The defendant’s victim actually gave the defendant money or property or performed an official act as a result

If the prosecution cannot prove that the victim actually gave the defendant money or property or performed an official act, the defendant can still be convicted of attempted extortion, but not of extortion. Also, for the purposes of CPC Section 518, a secret means any information that is not available to the public, and could harm the victim’s reputation to the point where the victim would give up his money or property, or perform an official act to keep the secret from going public.

For the purposes of threats, for the prosecution to convict the defendant of extortion, it need not show that the defendant actually used force against his victim, it need only prove that the defendant threatened the use of force or used fear to get his victim to give up his money or property, or perform an official act.

That said, if you have been charged with extortion, you should consult with an extortion attorney in Los Angeles at The H Law Group. Our extortion attorneys are experienced and will talk to you about the strengths and weaknesses of your case, so that you have a good idea about the results that they can achieve in your case. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at (213) 370-0404.

EXTORTION PENALTIES

If the prosecution convicts an individual of felony extortion, the defendant faces the following consequences: A maximum of four (4) years in a California State Prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000, and being placed on probation for three to five years. If the victim of the defendant’s extortion was a person who had a physical or mental disability, the court considers this as an aggravating factor, warranting a lengthier prison sentence.

If the prosecution is not successful in convicting the defendant of extortion, but successful in convicting him of misdemeanor attempted extortion, the defendant faces a maximum of one (1) years in County Jail, as well as a fine of up to $1,000, and summary probation. However, if the defendant is convicted of felony attempted extortion, the defendant faces a maximum of three (3) years in California State Prison, a maximum fine of up to $10,000, as well as being placed on formal probation.

So, if you have been arrested for extortion, you should act immediately and contact a Los Angeles extortion attorney at The H Law Group to begin preparing a defense strategy for your case. The sooner your extortion defense attorney begins working on your case, the more prepared he will be to defend you in court.

EXTORTION DEFENSES

If you have been charged with extortion, there are several defenses that your attorney can use to defend you. Here are some of the defenses, but keep in mind that this list does not include all of the extortion defenses that can be made. To determine all of the defenses that are available to you, you should schedule your free consultation with one of our Los Angeles extortion lawyers. Here are some of the available defenses:

  • The defendant did not use force or fear to obtain the defendant’s money or property
  • The defendant voluntarily agreed to give up his money or property
  • The defendant is being falsely accused of blackmail or extortion that is motivated by revenge or jealousy
  • There is not sufficient evidence to convict the defendant of extortion by arguing that the testimony against the defendant is weak and not reliable

CONTACT EXTORTION LAWYER LOS ANGELES

If you have been arrested for or charged with extortion in Los Angeles or elsewhere in the State of California, you should immediately contact an extortion lawyer in Los Angeles. The H Law Group has excellent and experienced extortion attorneys who are ready to represent you and provide you with the best possible defense. Our attorneys will evaluate your case to determine whether a dismissal is possible, and if it is not possible to get your case dismissed, our extortion attorneys will negotiate the best possible deal with the prosecution. So, if you’ve been charged with extortion, schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at (213) 370-0404.


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