Fairbanks Man Indicted in Murder-for-Hire Plot

ANCHORAGE—U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Fairbanks-area man has been indicted by the federal grand jury for two counts of using interstate commerce facilities with the intent that a murder for hire take place in either Indiana or Michigan. The indictment returned by the grand jury charges Fairbanks area resident Eric Donald Grabber, 55, with one count of causing another person to travel from Alaska to Indiana on December 29, 2012, with the intent that a contract murder of another individual take place in either Indiana or Michigan. The indictment charges Grabber with a second count of making a cellular telephone call on January 3, 2013, from Alaska to Michigan in furtherance of the murder for hire plot.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bottini, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a sentence of up to 10 years as well as a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.