Opinion ID: 2607721
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: multiple bribery counts

Text: Appellants contend that they were improperly charged, convicted and sentenced for multiple counts of bribery because the payments actually constituted installments upon a single agreement, rather than separate statutory offenses. We cannot agree with this characterization, either upon the facts or the law. Appellants were convicted under NRS 197.020, which provides, in pertinent part: Every person who gives, offers or promises, directly or indirectly, any compensation, gratuity or reward to a person executing any of the functions of a public officer ... with intent to influence him with respect to any act, decision, vote or other proceeding in the exercise of his powers or functions, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 1 year nor more than 10 years, and may be further punished by a fine of not more than $10,000. In this case, the police officers were approached at distinct times, with various propositions, and were paid for the use of their influence in distinct periods of time. These were clearly separate transactions. Other courts which have examined similar statutes have concluded that they were intended to punish, as separate offenses, distinct acts of bribery, or the illegal giving or receiving of money to or by public officers, at different times, even if for the same general purpose, such as protection. E.g., Biddle v. Wilmot, 14 F.2d 505 (8th Cir.1926); Patton v. United States, 42 F.2d 68 (8th Cir.1930); United States v. Anderson, 509 F.2d 312 (D.C. Cir.1974), cert. denied, 420 U.S. 991, 95 S.Ct. 1427, 43 L.Ed.2d 672 (1975); State v. Hebert, 402 So.2d 675 (La. 1981). Cf. United States v. Alaimo, 297 F.2d 604 (3d Cir.1961), cert. denied, 369 U.S. 817, 82 S.Ct. 829, 7 L.Ed.2d 784 (1962) (separate bi-monthly illegal receipts of money by employee representative from employer constituted separate offenses). Under the facts presented the appellants were properly charged and convicted of the separate acts of bribery.