United States v. Burke

OPINION

WEINER, District Judge.

Defendants herein were indicted and charged for the federal offenses of promoting and conspiring to promote extortion under state law, 18 U.S.C: §§ 1952, 371, and 2. Defendants subjected themselves to federal jurisdiction by their interstate travel for the purpose of carrying on their alleged enterprise, 18 U.S.C. § 1952(a).

The validity of this indictment raises squarely a question of statutory construction.

Defendants were allegedly involved in an interstate ring specializing in the “shaking down” of certain prominent victims whom members of the ring would entice…