by Attorney Eric D. PuryearThe Federal crime of Blackmail is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 873 as follow:
Whoever, under a threat of informing, or as a consideration for not informing, against any violation of any law of the United States, demands or receives any money or other valuable thing, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
A Federal conviction for blackmail carries up to a 1 year sentence of imprisonment.