- There isn't one type of extortion. The crime comes in many forms. It is a threat made by a public official to a nonofficial under the guise of the law. Another type of extortion is the act of using a threat to obtain a signature from another, with consent, that takes property, money or rights away from the signer. Extortion is also performed by sending a written demand, or implied threat, for someone else's property or money. Whatever the type of extortion used, it stops short of bodily harm, robbery or carjacking. The threat allows the extortioner to accomplish his goals without committing other crimes.
- Simple extortion (unaccompanied by any other charges) carries a penalty of two to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The judge has the option of penalizing attempted extortion even if the act was never committed. Such a crime carries maximum jail time of three years, but the fine is the same as actual extortion.
- Although the crime of extortion centers on a threat, a threat alone is not extortion. A California resident can threaten harm or exposure without acting on it. However, the moment the threat is used to force or coerce another person to do something, extortion occurs.
- Failed attempts at simple extortion are often accompanied by other crimes. The extortioner's threat goes unheeded. The money or property is not obtained. To force the victim to follow through, the extortioner must follow through with his end of the bargain --- the threat. Thus the robbery, assault, kidnapping and carjacking take place. These other crimes are covered by other areas of the California penal code, but they do add time onto the jail sentence and thousands of dollars onto any fine handed down by the judge.