LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire – MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the arrest today of PHILIP ETKIN, a Sullivan County Deputy Sheriff, on a charge that ETKIN attempted to extort $3,500 from an individual in Middletown, New York.
According to court proceedings and an Indictment that was
unsealed in White Plains federal court this afternoon, ETKIN told
an individual in Middletown that a contract to kill the victim had
been issued by a high-ranking member of the Genovese crime family
and that ETKIN had negotiated with organized crime figures to pay
$3,500 to withdraw the threat to kill the victim.
The FBI investigated this purported murder contract and
found no evidence to substantiate ETKIN’s claims that this highranking
member of the Genovese crime family exists.
ETKIN was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge
MARK D. FOX and was released on bail with electronic monitoring.
If convicted, ETKIN faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’
imprisonment.
Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative efforts and
cooperation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sullivan
County Sheriff’s Department. The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Assistant United States Attorney JOHN P. COLLINS, JR is in charge of the prosecution.
07-234 ###
United States Attorney
Southern District of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
SEPTEMBER 28, 2007 HERBERT HADAD, YUSILL SCRIBNER,
REBEKAH CARMICHAEL
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
(914) 993-1900,(212) 637-2600
FBI
NEIL DONOVAN, JAMES MARGOLIN
(212) 384-2715, 2720
