Second Chicagoan Sentenced for Role in Extortion Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 05, 2010 |
Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced today, February 5, 2010, that Cornelius Newbern, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 121 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release on his conviction of interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Newbern, age 57.
According to information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller, on December 6, 2007, Newbern and co-defendant Andrew Pearson traveled from Chicago to Pittsburgh with the intent to extort money from Pittsburgh residents. After arriving in Pittsburgh, they assaulted and abducted a female victim in an attempt to obtain money and property from her.
Mr. Cessar commended the Pittsburgh Police Department, the Arnold Police Department, the Allegheny County and Westmoreland County District Attorneys’ Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Chicago Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pearson.