Opinion ID: 1355268
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Digital Angel Corporation Scheme (Count 11)

Text: In late 2001, the state OCJP awarded a $400,000 grant to the Digital Angel Corporation (Digital Angel) to fund a pilot project whereby the California Department of Corrections would utilize the company's electronic tracking devices. In January 2002, Sawyer (then Chief Deputy Director of OCJP) and McFall met with Robert Levy, a lobbyist for Digital Angel, in Sacramento to discuss potential collaboration. Digital Angel was seeking additional funding from OCJP, and Sawyer indicated that McFall could be of assistance. A few weeks after the meeting, Levy received a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) from McFall's daughter proposing an agreement between Digital Angel's parent company and the Stagecoach Corporation (an entity McFall created and controlled). Under the proposed MOU, Digital Angel would pay a $100,000 fee to a consultant that Stagecoach would later name. Levy complained about the agreement to Sawyer, who urged him to work with McFall and, according to Levy, stated that OCJP funding would not materialize without McFall's help. Digital Angel did not agree to the terms of the MOU and had no further dealings with McFall. The indictment charged that McFall's and Sawyer's conduct amounted to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right in violation of the Hobbs Act.