Lesley Howard Calhoun, Thomas Edgar Haas v. United States

In a jury trial, appellants were each convicted of two offenses against the United States. Both of them were convicted of the charge that they engaged, with a codefendant named Clounche, in a conspiracy to violate the federal prohibition against interstate transmission of extortionate communications. 18 U.S.C. § 875 (d); 18 U.S.C. § 371 . Each was also convicted of extortion. 18 U.S.C. § 1952 . Penalties of two concurrent three-year terms of confinement were assessed, and they appeal. The codefendant Clounche, who was also convicted, has not appealed.

The seed of the crimes was the indiscretion of an Idaho businessman. During separate visits to Nevada, he succumbed to temptations offered by two prostitutes. Knowledge of the relationships came to the attention of appellants and Clounche, and a series of extortionate acts ensued. The victim, yielding first to interstate telephone calls in which it was represented that one of the women was in dire need and then to threats, forwarded substantial sums of money. At last, having chosen to notify federal officers of his predicament, he received a long distance telephone call which he accepted in the presence of his personal attorney, an…