NY Man Sentenced For Strongarm Extortion Scheme in New Jersey

A man from Brooklyn is headed to prison for conspiring with others in a week-long strongarm extortion scheme in 2019 that involved hundreds of thousands of dollars.

35-year-old Francis A. Garzon had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and one count of attempt to commit Hobbs Act extortion.

On Tuesday in Trenton federal court, Garzon was sentenced to 121 months, or about ten years, in prison.

Garzon's codefendant, Endrit Kllogjeri, was found guilty following a jury trial last year and will be sentenced in March.

The Hobbs Act, named after Congressman Sam Hobbs of Alabama, was enacted in 1946. It prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion that affects interstate or foreign commerce. It also forbids conspiracy to do so.

Ingram Publishing

Federal authorities say from December 1st through 9th, 2019, Garzon and Kllogjeri conspired and attempted to extort a resident of Monmouth County and the resident's son, who lived in Brooklyn.

The victim was allegedly threatened with physical harm if the victim did not recover a bag containing property allegedly valued at $100,000 from the victim’s son. Garzon and Kllogjeri further demanded an additional payment of $100,000 as “interest” for the son’s possession of the bag. Garzon admitted that he brandished a revolver at the victim in an effort to intimidate the victim. Over the ensuing week, Garzon and Kllogjeri communicated regularly with the victim’s telephone, continuing to threaten the victim and the victim’s family.

Garzon and Kllogjeri were arrested together in a vehicle on December 9th of that year. Just before they were taken into custody, Garzon had attempted to send the victim a text message confirming the victim's plan to pay the demand.

In addition to the prison term, Garzon was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.