VIDEO LANGUAGE NSFW. VIOLENT IMAGES TOO

Elgin James, one of the founders of Friends Stand United, a straight-edge punk collective with branches around the United States was arrested on July 14 in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles by the FBI on charges of extortion. In the  month before his arrest James had been participating the Sundance screenwriters’ lab, where he workshopped two scripts–and he’s been profiled in Rolling Stone and on the History Channel’s "Gangland" series. FSU established scholarships at various colleges in the names of fallen members and

holds yearly benefit concerts to raise money for charities that reflect "hardcore punk culture" (teen homelessness, anti handgun violence, suicide prevention and local orphanages.

FSU is seen by law enforcement as a gang, one which produced a video called Boston Beatdown and which would trade guns for pit bulls used in fighting, apparently rescuing the dogs and letting the humans deal with their own issues. Along with such humane missions, FSU allegedly extorted members of rock bands on James’ orders. According to the Los Angeles Times:

The victim, who was not identified, was on tour in the Chicago area in 2005 when he became involved in a dispute with an employee of another band, whose security guard is an FSU member in Chicago, prosecutors said. The incident triggered several attacks on the victim by FSU members, they said.

In the fall of 2005, James, who became a vegan in his teens, allegedly told the victim, since identified as a member of the Chicago band Mest, that FSU would stop attacking him if he made a $5,000 “donation,” the complaint, obtained by the Boston Phoenix, said.

In late October or early November 2005, James allegedly telephoned the victim while the victim was in Mokena, Ill., and the victim recorded a portion of the call. After identifying himself, James allegedly told the victim that James could resolve the victim’s dispute with FSU if the victim made a payment to James; otherwise, FSU members would continue to attack the victim as the victim traveled throughout the country. James allegedly told the victim that the victim could do "the right thing" and be "on the right team" by making a $5,000 "donation" to FSU to be used for bail for an associate of James and to buy Christmas gifts for the associate’s children. 

The victim called the FBI who supplied marked bills and over three years later, James, who has a career as punk musician as well as a writer/director has found himself arrested and out on bail, facing 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. And if he beats the charges, an even bigger Hollywood career.