(1) A person commits criminal extortion if:
The person, without legal authority and with the intent to induce another person against that other person's will to perform an act or to refrain from performing a lawful act, makes a substantial threat to confine or restrain, cause economic hardship or bodily injury to, or damage the property or reputation of, the threatened person or another person; and
The person threatens to cause the results described in paragraph (a) of this subsection
by:
Performing or causing an unlawful act to be performed; or
Invoking action by a third party, including, but not limited to, the state or any of itspolitical subdivisions, whose interests are not substantially related to the interests pursued by the person making the threat.
(1.5) A person commits criminal extortion if the person, with the intent to induce another person against that other person's will to give the person money or another item of value, threatens to report to law enforcement officials the immigration status of the threatened person or another person.
A person commits aggravated criminal extortion if, in addition to the acts describedin subsection (1) of this section, the person threatens to cause the results described in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section by means of chemical, biological, or harmful radioactive agents, weapons, or poison.
For the purposes of this section, "substantial threat" means a threat that is reasonablylikely to induce a belief that the threat will be carried out and is one that threatens that significant confinement, restraint, injury, or damage will occur.
Criminal extortion, as described in subsections (1) and (1.5) of this section, is a class4 felony. Aggravated criminal extortion, as described in subsection (2) of this section, is a class 3 felony.
Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 421, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-3-207. L. 75: Entire section amended, p. 618, § 8, effective July 21. L. 81: Entire section amended, p. 981, § 4, effective May 13; entire section amended, p. 974, § 8, effective July 1. L. 82: (2) amended, p. 623, § 17, effective April 2. L. 94: Entire section R&RE, p. 1619, § 1, effective May 31. L. 2006, 1st Ex.
Sess.: (1.5) added and (4) amended, p. 11, § 1, effective July 31.
Editor's note: Amendments to this section by House Bill 81-1167 and Senate Bill 81183 were harmonized.