United States v. John J. Sweeney

GOODRICH, Circuit Judge.

This is an appeal from a conviction under the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951 (1951). There were two counts, both charging extortion; defendant was found guilty on both. There is no unsolved problem with regard to interstate commerce for the companies against whom the extortion was found to have been practiced are engaged in interstate trucking.

The statute makes it an offense to obstruct, delay or affect commerce by “robbery or extortion”. 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). Extortion is then defined as “obtaining of property from another, with his consent, induced by wrongful use of…