Leslie Honeywell, Interstate Communication with Intent to Extort, Pennsylvania 2013

Scranton, PA – Leslie Honeywell, 45, of Monroeton, Pennsylvania, avoided a potential prison sentence but received a substantial probationary period after pleading guilty to attempting to extort $20,000 from energy giant Cabot Oil & Gas Company. The scheme, which unfolded in August 2012, involved Honeywell and co-conspirator Kent Wuethrich making interstate phone calls from Pennsylvania to the company’s Houston, Texas headquarters, demanding the payment under threat of unspecified harm.

The plot quickly unraveled thanks to a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) offices in both Houston and Scranton. Agents learned of the extortion attempt before any money exchanged hands, leading to the swift arrests of Honeywell and Wuethrich on October 9, 2012. Federal prosecutors swiftly filed charges, alleging a violation of Title 18 U.S. Criminal Code, specifically 18 U.S.C. §875(d), which covers interstate communication with intent to extort.

Both men initially faced a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. However, on November 12, 2012, both Honeywell and Wuethrich entered guilty pleas before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa, who presented evidence outlining the pair’s coordinated effort to defraud Cabot Oil & Gas.

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Sentencing & Outcome

While the potential penalties were significant, both defendants ultimately received lighter sentences. On May 21, 2013, Judge Mariani sentenced Honeywell to 36 months of probation, with the first six months to be served under home confinement. He was also ordered to pay a $300 federal fine. Wuethrich received a 30-month probationary sentence, also including six months of home confinement.

The comparatively lenient sentences raise questions about the extent of the threat posed by Honeywell and Wuethrich, and whether the prosecution determined the extortion attempt lacked the necessary credible threat to warrant a harsher penalty. Sources close to the investigation suggest the pair had no clear plan for what they would *do* with the money or how they would carry out any threats, portraying the scheme as more opportunistic than sophisticated.

Key Facts

Defendant: Leslie Honeywell, 45, Monroeton, PA
Co-Defendant: Kent Wuethrich, 47, Sugar Run, PA
Victim: Cabot Oil & Gas Company (Houston, TX)
Crime: Attempted Extortion
Statute Violated: 18 U.S.C. §875(d) – Interstate Communication with Intent to Extort
Potential Penalties: Up to 2 years imprisonment and $250,000 fine
Actual Sentence (Honeywell): 36 months probation (6 months home confinement), $300 fine
Actual Sentence (Wuethrich): 30 months probation (6 months home confinement)

This case highlights the FBI’s continued vigilance in prosecuting interstate extortion schemes, even those that don’t succeed in obtaining funds. While the financial impact on Cabot Oil & Gas was nil, the attempted fraud constituted a federal crime, demonstrating that even failed attempts at extortion can lead to serious legal consequences.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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