Anahuac man pleads guilty in murder for hire scheme
A 49-year-old Anahuac man pleaded guilty today in a murder-for-hire scheme, according to information from United States Attorney John M. Bales’ office.
David Houston Sartin made attempts to hire another person to kidnap an individual from Kyiv, Ukraine and to bring that person to Sartin in the United States where Sartin then intended to kill or have the individual killed, according to information presented in court. The scheme began in December 2011.
Sartin paid an undercover agent $25,000 on March 6, according to Bales’ office, and promised to eventually pay another $25,000. He was arrested in Beaumont on March 23 while attempting to make the second payment, according to Bales’ office.
Sartin also was in possession of a handgun, a stun-gun and hand cuffs. A federal grand jury indicted him on April 18.
Sartin pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield’s court. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the kidnapping charge and a minimum of 5 years for the firearms violation.
A sentencing date has not been set.
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