If you have been accused of extortion or blackmail, you need to retain a trusted blackmail lawyer in Omaha, NE as soon as possible. A conviction for extortion and/or blackmail can carry significant penalties of prolonged jail time, loss of professional license, and extremely high fines.
At Stockmann Law, we have seen people’s lives ruined by blackmail convictions. This is a significant crime and while it often falls under the category of white collar crimes, it can also include domestic violence, internet crimes, and more. The details around your case will dictate how significant of a punishment you face, but almost all blackmail convictions come with some jail time and high fines. You need to seek the best blackmail defense lawyer in order to get everything in order and move on with your life.
If you are facing blackmail charges in Nebraska, the first phone call you make should be to a trusted blackmail lawyer in Omaha, NE. Once you call our team at Stockmann Law, we will have a free consultation where we talk about your situation and present you with some options. You will feel better and like you have a chance to walk away from this situation.
Blackmail Meaning: Defined
It is important to note that while blackmail and extortion are linked together and similarly prosecuted, there is a difference between the two types of crimes. Blackmail is to threaten with future harm that is intangible - such as revealing someone’s sexuality to their friends and family in order to get money or property out of them.
It is important to note that exposing something that is a crime or a secret isn’t actually illegal. However, blackmail is threatening to tell the secret if you do not get something in return. Blackmail also refers to disclosing undesirable information with the intent of gaining financially or ruining someone’s reputation. It is a very, very complicated legal theory.
Extortion, on the other hand, is to threaten future harm or offer protection to a person in order to steal money or property. Threats can be made to someone who is called to testify against someone else in court, for example. They may request that the person lies on the stand and they will protect them in the future. Extortion always contains the following:
- Communication with the victim in some way - usually it will include calling, texting, emailing, writing, online chatting, or in person communication
- Threatening the victim or their family with an accusation of a crime, injury, or some other type of offense
- Your intention was to gain favors, property, or money
There is another level of extortion called “cyber extortion” that uses online tools such as ransomware to encrypt important files on a computer, making them unreadable or unopenable until a ransom is paid.
Depending on how it occurs, extortion can be a state or federal crime.
There are a few other types of blackmail that fit into the blackmail legal definition, including emotional blackmail and moral blackmail. These forms of blackmail usually involve revealing secrets about someone’s life, such as their sexual identity or revealing an affair.
I Have Blackmail Charges in Nebraska: What Do I Do Now?
The most important thing you can do to overcome your blackmail charges is hire a blackmail lawyer in Omaha, NE. Lawyers will help you build a defense and work to either fully defend you against the charges if you are innocent or help to negotiate a lesser plea if you are guilty of committing blackmail.
Remember that your words can be used against you in court, so you always need to be cognizant of what you say and how you say it. If you have been accused of blackmail or extortion, you need to build a good defense so that your case can be dismissed or your repercussions reduced. Every situation is different, so we cannot give you a “one size fits all” blackmail charges defense.
An experienced blackmail lawyer will use his knowledge and experience in Nebraska courts to help build a defense for you that is pertinent to the nature of your accusations and all of the details of your case. Stockmann Law has helped those charged with blackmail many times, using defenses such as:
- You have been falsely accused of blackmail
- There is a lack of intent or reasoning for you to actually blackmail or extort someone
- There isn’t enough evidence (or no evidence at all) to support the accusation
- Someone stole your identity or someone mistook your identity
- You never made threats to someone
- You never coerced the victim to give you favors, property, or money
- There is proof that the person who accused you of blackmail has an ulterior moving to do so
- The crime you committed doesn’t fit the criteria for extortion
- There is evidence that the “extortion” was actually a business tactic
Remember that the long term impact of being convicted of any white collar crime, including blackmail, can impact almost every aspect of your life moving forward. Those convicted of a crime may face strained relationships with their business associates, family members, employees, employers, and even themselves. Additionally, they face issues with finding gainful employment, applying for housing, and even getting government aid.
It is important to remember that even false accusations can impact your reputation and standing in the business or professional world. If you have been accused of blackmail or extortion in Nebraska, you need to seek help from a qualified blackmail lawyer as soon as possible. Contact Stockmann Law for a free evaluation for your case and for information about how you can best come out the other side of this.
Blackmail Penalties in Nebraska
Blackmail penalties run the gamut in Nebraska because the charge itself can run from a simple misdemeanor to a felony. The possible penalties can be severe and include:
- Significant fines
- Restitution paid to the victim
- Up to 99 years in prison
- Property forfeiture
- Probation
Often, courts will match the seriousness of the penalties to the seriousness of the crime. Sometimes you will even face significant punishments if the blackmail you attempted was severe, but it wasn’t a successful attempt.
The best way to prevent the most significant penalties of a blackmail conviction is to talk to a blackmail lawyer in Omaha, NE as soon as possible. When you do this, you will be able to get an idea what you are up against and if you like the lawyer that you talked to, you will be able to work together to build a defense. If you are interested in talking to one of the best blackmail lawyers in Nebraska, reach out to Daniel Stockmann and the Stockmann Law team today to schedule a free consultation.
Contact a Blackmail Lawyer in Omaha, NE As Soon As Possible
If you have been charged with extortion or blackmail in Omaha, NE or any of the surrounding areas, getting a good legal defense could mean the difference between going free and serving a lengthy time in prison. At Stockmann Law, our legal team has experience handling even the most complicated blackmail cases. We take on the work of building up a strong legal defense for you, interviewing witnesses, negotiating with prosecutors, and even looking into the cyber data. Depending on what happened in your situation, our Omaha blackmail lawyer may be able to look into getting the charges against you reduced or potentially even dismissed.
If you have been charged with a crime of blackmail and you know that you are guilty of said crime, you need to find strong representation. By retaining Daniel Stockmann, an Omaha, NE blackmail lawyer, you will give yourself the best chance to come out the other side and move on with your life. Call us now to schedule a free case evaluation.
