18 U.S.C. § 1951 – Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence (Hobbs Act)
A cornerstone federal statute targeting robbery and extortion that affects interstate commerce.
What this statute addresses.
The Hobbs Act criminalizes robbery, extortion, and threats of violence that obstruct, delay, or affect interstate or foreign commerce. The commerce impact can be minimal—federal jurisdiction attaches even when the effect is indirect or slight.
Prohibited conduct.
A violation occurs when a person:
- Commits or attempts robbery affecting commerce
- Commits or attempts extortion affecting commerce
- Conspires to commit robbery or extortion affecting commerce
- Uses or threatens physical violence to further a robbery or extortion scheme
The statute reaches both completed acts and plans that never fully materialize.
Key definitions that drive prosecutions.
- Robbery: Taking property against a person’s will through actual or threatened force, violence, or fear
- Extortion: Obtaining property with consent induced by wrongful force, threats, fear, or under color of official right
- Commerce: Broadly defined to include virtually all interstate, foreign, and federally regulated commerce
“Under color of official right” allows prosecution of public officials who misuse their position to obtain payments—even without explicit threats.
Penalties.
A violation of § 1951 carries:
- Up to 20 years in federal prison
- Fines under Title 18
Why the Hobbs Act is charged so often.
Federal prosecutors rely on § 1951 to bring local-looking conduct into federal court. It is frequently used in cases involving public corruption, business extortion, labor-related disputes crossing the line into coercion, and organized crime investigations.
If an investigation involves allegations of robbery, extortion, or coercion tied to interstate commerce, the scope and consequences escalate quickly. Call (314) 900-HELP or speak with our federal criminal defense attorneys to understand what exposure may look like and how these cases are typically built.
