Anahuac man indicted in murder-for-hire scheme
An Anahuac man accused in a murder-for-hire scheme was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury for charges of attempted kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The indictment alleges David Houston Sartin, 49, made attempts beginning in December 2011 to hire another person to kidnap an individual from Kyiv, Ukraine. Sartin wanted that person brought to the United States where he intended to kill or have the individual killed, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The indictment also alleges that Sartin met with an undercover agent on March 6, paid the agent a $25,000 deposit and promised another $25,000.
Sartin was arrested in Beaumont on March 23 while attempting to deliver the $25,000, the news release states. He also allegedly had a handgun, a stun-gun and hand cuffs, according to the news release.
Sartin faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the kidnapping charge and a minimum of five years for the firearms violation.
An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
HNolan@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/heathernolan