Court to hear appeal from Baltimore officer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from a former Baltimore city police officer convicted on charges of extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion.

The justices said Monday they will decide whether to overturn the 2012 conviction of Samuel Ocasio for his role in a towing company kickback scheme.

Prosecutors said Ocasio was one of many city officers paid by the owners of Majestic Auto Repair Shop in Baltimore County to send customers to their shop instead of to a city-authorized company.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Ocasio claims he didn’t violate the law because he never tried to get money from anyone outside the conspiracy. A federal appeals court panel rejected that argument.