New York Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Extortion

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KEVAHN THORPE, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for extorting a Connecticut resident last summer.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between June 26 and July 7, 2015, THORPE sent text messages and made phone calls to a Connecticut resident, demanding money and a pair of sneakers from the victim.  If the victim failed to comply, THORPE threatened to publish certain information that he knew would damage the victim’s reputation. 

On July 7, 2015, the victim met with THORPE at a Manhattan hotel and gave him an envelope with $4,000 cash in it.  THORPE was arrested at that time.

On November 4, 2015, THORPE pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.