Beverly Man Sentenced in Murder-for-Hire Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 11, 2009 |
BOSTON, MA—A Beverly man was sentenced today in federal court on murder-for-hire charges.
Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks and Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division, announced today that JOHN D. ORLOWSKI, age 49, formerly of Beverly, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by the Honorable Douglas Woodlock to 22 1/2 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for use of a facility of interstate commerce (a telephone) in the commission of murder-for-hire.
While incarcerated at the Essex County Correctional Facility on pending state charges, ORLOWSKI approached another detainee (“CW”) to inquire if, upon release from jail, he accept $500 to plant drugs on his wife or in her home, so she could be arrested and removed from the house. The CW agreed and accepted the money. Upon release from jail, ORLOWSKI again approached the CW and told him that he wanted to have his wife, his daughter and his mother-in-law killed, and that he wanted either the CW, or one of the CW’s friends to do it. The CW was promised money after the job was complete.
The CW was troubled by the prospect of what ORLOWSKI proposed, particularly the murder of ORLOWSKI’S 7-year old daughter. Consequently, he discussed ORLOWSKI’S solicitation with his mother, who in turn, called the FBI on May 17, 2007.
On May 18, 2007, federal agents met with the CW, who provided them with a diagram that ORLOWSKI had drawn for him, depicting his wife’s house, location of bedrooms and where the targets slept. Later that afternoon the CW met with ORLOWSKI, during which time ORLOWSKI was taped on government recordings, detailing the terms of how the murders should be carried out. The CW was told by ORLOWSKI that his wife and mother-in-law should be killed with two bullets to the head, but only one bullet to the chest for his 7-year old daughter, as he wanted an open casket for her. He continued to detail how the CW should get into the house and that it should look like a drug hit. ORLOWSKI went on to tell the CW that he had a pistol in the house, which could be used in the event that there was a “shoot out” with authorities.
During the government taped audio recordings ORLOWSKI also told the CW that, if the CW would not commit the murders, ORLOWSKI could get someone in Florida to do it. The CW told ORLOWSKI that he could get two individuals to do the job, one of whom was coming up from Rhode Island.
“The defendant’s conduct in this case - his criminal plan - was truly despicable. It is our hope that this long prison sentence will deter others from such horrible conduct,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael K. Loucks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New England Field Division and the Beverly Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Lang of Sullivan’s Major Crime’s Unit.