United States v. Raymond O. Sopher, John Kerestes, John A. Ramza, Michael F. Ryan and Matthew J. Tibbles

SCHNACKENBERG, Circuit Judge.

Raymond 0. Sopher, John Kerestes, John A. Ramza, Michael F. Ryan and Matthew J. Tibbies, defendants, appeal from their convictions of a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951. They were tried by a jury and the court sentenced them to prison terms.

Sopher was the mayor of Streator, Illinois, and his co-defendants were commissioners thereof. 1

Count I of the indictment charged defendants with having obstructed interstate commerce by extortion and count II charged them with conspiracy to commit the offense alleged in count I, all in violation of the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951.

T…