2019 Maryland Code
Criminal Law
Title 3 - Other Crimes Against the Person
Subtitle 7 - Extortion and Other Threats
§ 3-701. Extortion generally

    (a)    This section does not apply to legitimate efforts by employees or their representatives to obtain certain wages, hours, or working conditions.

    (b)    A person may not obtain, attempt to obtain, or conspire to obtain money, property, labor, services, or anything of value from another person with the person’s consent, if the consent is induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened:

        (1)    force or violence;

        (2)    economic injury;

        (3)    destruction, concealment, removal, confiscation, or possession of any immigration or government identification document with intent to harm the immigration status of another person; or

        (4)    notification of law enforcement officials about another person’s undocumented or illegal immigration status.

    (c)    (1)    If the value of the property, labor, or services is at least $1,000 but less than $10,000, a person who violates this section is guilty of the felony of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.

        (2)    If the value of the property, labor, or services is at least $10,000 but less than $100,000, a person who violates this section is guilty of the felony of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 15 years or a fine not exceeding $15,000 or both.

        (3)    If the value of the property, labor, or services is $100,000 or more, a person who violates this section is guilty of the felony of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 25 years or a fine not exceeding $25,000 or both.

    (d)    If the value of the property, labor, or services is less than $1,000, a person who violates this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 18 months or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

    (e)    A prosecution for a felony under this section shall be instituted within 5 years after the crime was committed.