Mount Pleasant Man and Florida Man Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Extortion and Attempted Extortion

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney William N. Nettles stated today that Thomas F. True, age 67, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and Gunther Blancke, age 37, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida were charged Wednesday in a six-count indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit extortion by wrongful use of force, violence, and fear, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a); and five counts of attempted extortion by wrongful use of force, violence, and fear, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951(a) and 2.

The indictment alleges that on June 3, 2010 and continuing to June 8, 2010, True and Blancke conspired to obstruct, delay, and affect commerce and the movement of articles and commodities in commerce by extortion, that is, they conspired to obtain the property of the victim, with the victim’s consent induced by the wrongful use of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear.

The indictment also alleges that on June 3, 2010, June 4, 2010, June 5, 2010, June 7, 2010, and June 8, 2010, True and Blancke attempted to obstruct, delay, and affect commerce and the movement of articles and commodities in commerce by extortion, that is, they attempted to obtain the property of the victim, with the victim’s consent induced by the wrongful use of actual and threatened violence, and fear.

Mr. Nettles stated that the case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Nicholas Bianchi of the Charleston Office.

Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty True and Blancke could receive on each count is a fine of $250,000 and imprisonment of five years.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.