Arizona Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion, Sextortion and Penalties
Arizona charges blackmail as theft by extortion under A.R.S. 13-1804, a class 4 felony or class 2 for deadly threats. See the threat list and sextortion law.
11 min read
Extortion Laws
52 articles
Arkansas Extortion Laws: Theft by Threat, Coercion and Penalties
Arkansas folds extortion and blackmail into theft: property obtained by threat is a Class C or B felony. See the threat definition, coercion and sexual extortion.
13 min read
Connecticut Extortion Laws: Larceny by Extortion, Coercion, Penalties
Connecticut larceny by extortion is a class B felony, 1 to 20 years at any value. Coercion is a misdemeanor, or a class D felony if the threat is to commit a felony.
9 min read
Extortion and Blackmail Laws by State: Penalties and Sextortion (2026)
Is blackmail a crime? Compare extortion, blackmail and sextortion laws in all 50 states and DC, with penalties, state statutes and the federal Hobbs Act.
30 min read
Georgia Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion, Sextortion and Penalties
Georgia charges blackmail as theft by extortion (O.C.G.A. 16-8-16), a felony of 1 to 10 years. See the six threats, the restitution defense and sexual extortion.
12 min read
Idaho Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion, Blackmail and Penalties
Idaho charges blackmail as theft by extortion under Idaho Code 18-2403, grand theft at any value: up to 20 or 14 years by threat type. Sextortion rules explained.
14 min read
Indiana Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Intimidation and Penalties
Indiana has no crime named extortion or blackmail. Threat-based demands fall under intimidation (IC 35-45-2-1) or theft. See the threats covered and the penalties.
9 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Alabama? Extortion Degrees and Penalties
Alabama charges blackmail as extortion: first degree is a Class B felony (2-20 years), second degree a Class C felony. Sexual extortion is also Class B.
12 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Alaska? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Alaska charges blackmail as extortion under AS 11.41.520, a class B felony of up to 10 years. See the threats it covers, coercion, and the restitution defense.
7 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in California? Extortion Laws and Penalties
California charges blackmail as extortion under Penal Code 518-527. Completed extortion is a felony of 2, 3 or 4 years; attempts and sextortion are covered too.
15 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Colorado? Criminal Extortion Laws (2026)
Colorado charges blackmail as criminal extortion under C.R.S. 18-3-207, a class 4 felony (presumptive 2 to 6 years). See which threats count and sextortion rules.
10 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in D.C.? Extortion and Blackmail Laws
D.C. makes blackmail a crime by name under D.C. Code 22-3252 (up to 5 years) and extortion under 22-3251 (up to 10 years). See the threats each covers.
7 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Delaware? Extortion, Coercion and Penalties
Delaware extortion under 11 Del. C. 846 is a class E felony, class D if the victim is 62 or older, more for habitual offenders. See coercion and sextortion.
14 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Florida? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Florida charges blackmail as extortion under Fla. Stat. 836.05, a second-degree felony with up to 15 years in prison and no minimum amount. See the threats covered.
11 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Hawaii? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Hawaii charges blackmail as extortion in three degrees (HRS 707-764 to 707-769), from a misdemeanor to a class B felony, or class A with a weapon. See the threats.
10 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Illinois? Intimidation, Theft by Threat (2026)
Illinois has no crime named extortion or blackmail. It charges intimidation (720 ILCS 5/12-6), a Class 3 felony, or theft by threat graded by value.
12 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Iowa? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Iowa Code 711.4 makes extortion a class D felony of up to 5 years and a $1,025 to $10,245 fine. See the seven threats it covers and the right-to-recover defense.
9 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Louisiana? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Louisiana charges blackmail as extortion under La. R.S. 14:66, punishable by 1 to 15 years at hard labor. See which threats count and the 2025 changes.
10 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Massachusetts? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Massachusetts extortion under G.L. c. 265, section 25 carries up to 15 years in state prison, a $5,000 fine, or both. See the threats it covers and sextortion rules.
8 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Minnesota? Coercion and Extortion Laws
Minnesota charges blackmail as coercion under Minn. Stat. 609.27, with up to 10 years by amount. See the threats covered, Jorgenson, and sexual extortion.
14 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Missouri? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Missouri charges blackmail as stealing by coercion under RSMo 570.030, graded by value. Threatening to share private sexual images is a felony under 573.112.
9 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Montana? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Montana charges extortion as theft by threat (45-6-301), intimidation or electronic extortion (45-8-213); child-image threats fall under 45-5-625.
13 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in New Hampshire? Theft by Extortion Laws
New Hampshire charges blackmail as theft by extortion under RSA 637:5, graded from a misdemeanor to a class A felony. See the nine listed threats and penalties.
11 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in New Mexico? Extortion Laws and Penalties
New Mexico charges blackmail as extortion under NMSA 30-16-9, a third degree felony with a three-year basic sentence. See which threats count and sextortion rules.
6 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in North Carolina? Extortion Laws and Penalties
North Carolina makes extortion a Class F felony under G.S. 14-118.4 and keeps a separate Blackmailing misdemeanor. See penalties and the sexual extortion law.
12 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in North Dakota? Theft by Threat and Penalties
North Dakota charges extortion and blackmail as theft by threat under N.D.C.C. 12.1-23. See the felony tiers, the threat list, coercion and sexual extortion.
14 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Ohio? Extortion and Sextortion Laws (2026)
Ohio charges blackmail as extortion under R.C. 2905.11, a third-degree felony. See the threat list, sexual extortion under Braden's Law, coercion and penalties.
13 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Pennsylvania? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Pennsylvania charges blackmail as theft by extortion (18 Pa.C.S. 3923), graded from a first-degree misdemeanor to a felony. See threats, coercion and sextortion.
15 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in South Carolina? Blackmail Laws and Penalties
South Carolina makes blackmail a Class E felony under S.C. Code 16-17-640, up to 10 years. See the threats covered and the Gavin's Law sextortion penalties.
11 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Tennessee? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Tennessee charges blackmail as extortion under 39-14-112, a Class D felony with a 2 to 12 year statutory range. Covers the threat list and the restitution defense.
11 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Virginia? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Virginia makes extortion a Class 5 felony under Va. Code 18.2-59 and has a separate sexual extortion law. See the threats covered and the penalties.
10 min read
Is Blackmail Illegal in Washington? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Washington charges blackmail as extortion under RCW 9A.56.110: class B for threats of injury, damage or confinement, class C for the other listed threats.
12 min read
Kansas Blackmail and Extortion Laws: Penalties (2026)
Kansas makes blackmail a felony under K.S.A. 21-5428, charges sexual extortion under 21-5515 as amended by Caleb's Law, and grades theft by threat by value.
9 min read
Kentucky Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion, Coercion and Penalties
Kentucky charges blackmail as theft by extortion (KRS 514.080), graded by value up to a Class C felony. See the threats, criminal coercion and the 2025 sextortion law.
14 min read
Maine Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion, Blackmail and Penalties
Maine charges extortion and blackmail as theft by extortion under 17-A M.R.S. 355, a Class C crime with a base maximum of 5 years. See the threats it covers.
11 min read
Maryland Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Maryland extortion is a felony up to 10 years for threats to accuse or injure, and value-graded up to 25 years under 3-701. See sexual extortion rules too.
10 min read
Michigan Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Michigan extortion under MCL 750.213 is a felony of up to 20 years or a $10,000 fine. See the threats it covers and the 2025 sexual extortion law, MCL 750.213b.
12 min read
Mississippi Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Mississippi charges blackmail as extortion under Miss. Code 97-3-82: a misdemeanor under $500, a felony of up to 15 years at $500 or more. Sextortion law since 2024.
11 min read
Nebraska Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion and Penalties (2026)
Nebraska charges blackmail as theft by extortion under Neb. Rev. Stat. 28-513, graded by value under 28-518. Threatening to share intimate images is also a crime.
7 min read
Nevada Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Nevada charges blackmail under NRS 205.320, a category B felony of 1 to 10 years. See the threats it covers, sextortion and image-removal demands, and coercion.
13 min read
New Jersey Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion and Penalties (2026)
New Jersey charges blackmail as theft by extortion, a second-degree crime at any amount under N.J.S. 2C:20-5. See coercion, sexual extortion and penalties.
12 min read
New York Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Larceny by Extortion (2026)
New York charges blackmail as larceny by extortion, a felony at any value under Penal Law 155.30(6). See the threats covered, coercion and penalties.
15 min read
Oklahoma Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Oklahoma punishes extortion (21 O.S. 1481-1483) and blackmail (21 O.S. 1488) as Class D1 felonies, up to 5 years. See the threat lists and sextortion law.
13 min read
Oregon Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Oregon charges blackmail as extortion under ORS 164.075, a Class B felony with a closed list of eight threats. Coercion is a Class C felony.
13 min read
Rhode Island Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Rhode Island extortion and blackmail (R.I. Gen. Laws 11-42-2) carries up to 15 years, a $25,000 fine, or both. Intimate-image threats are 5-year felonies.
8 min read
South Dakota Extortion Laws: Theft by Threat and Penalties (2026)
South Dakota charges blackmail as theft by threat under SDCL 22-30A-4, graded mainly by value. It is generally a felony above $1,000. See the threat list and penalties.
10 min read
Texas Extortion Laws: Theft by Coercion, Sextortion and Penalties
Texas has no crime named extortion or blackmail. Threat-based takings are theft by coercion; sexual coercion is a state jail felony, or third degree on a repeat.
11 min read
Utah Extortion Laws: Theft by Extortion, Sextortion and Penalties
Utah charges blackmail as theft by extortion (Utah Code 76-6-406), graded by value, and sextortion as sexual extortion (76-5b-204), a felony for adults.
12 min read
Vermont Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties and Sextortion (2026)
Vermont extortion under 13 V.S.A. 1701 is a felony with up to 3 years or a $500 fine. Sexual extortion (13 V.S.A. 2607) carries up to 3, 10 or 15 years.
11 min read
West Virginia Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
W. Va. Code 61-2-13 makes extortion a felony of 1 to 10 years (more for repeat offenders), and failed threats are felonies too. See the 2025 sextortion law.
13 min read
Wisconsin Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Wisconsin extortion under Wis. Stat. 943.30 is a Class H felony of up to 6 years; blackmail-type threats under 943.31 are Class I. See the 2025 sexual extortion law.
14 min read
Wyoming Blackmail and Extortion Laws: Penalties (2026)
Wyoming charges extortion as blackmail under W.S. 6-2-402, a felony of up to 10 years, or 5 to 25 if bodily injury is caused. See the threats it covers.
8 min read