Ada Resident Sentenced for Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy

MUSKOGEE, OK—Sheldon J. Sperling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that REGINA HERCULES, age 43, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment, followed by 36 months of supervised release. 

“Defendant HERCULES had been convicted, on November 5, 2008, of Conspiracy to Use Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Sections, 371 and 1958.”

“The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), and the Ardmore Police Department,” stated U.S. Attorney Sperling.  “HERCULES pled guilty to an Information on November 5, 2008.”

“The affidavit underlying a federal complaint, asserted the following,” U.S. Attorney Sperling reported.  “On September 4, 2008, the Ardmore Police Department notified the FBI of a report that Tonia Mullins was looking for a hit man to kill the wife of Michael Andrew Crawford.  Mullins and Crawford intended to buy a house with $250,000 they anticipated collecting from the victim’s life insurance policy.”

“The investigation included the use of consensual audio recordings and hidden video recordings.  A series of phone calls and over 50 text messages revealed that Michael Crawford’s aunt, Regina Hercules, was also involved in the scheme to kill the victim.”

“On September 12, 2008, an undercover OSBI special agent met with Mullins and Hercules and negotiated a price of $5,000.00 for killing the victim.  The agent later participated in a three way call with Mullins, Crawford and Hercules to confirm details of the contract murder.  On September 19, 2008, when Mullins brought collateral to the undercover agent to ensure payment of the $5,000.00 they were arrested. Following their arrests, Mullins and Hercules provided statements to the FBI acknowledging their involvement in the scheme and implicating Crawford who was on active military duty and stationed in South Korea.   Military authorities were been alerted so that Crawford could be brought back to the Eastern District of Oklahoma for judicial proceedings.”

“The Honorable James H. Payne, District Judge, for the United States District Court in Muskogee, Oklahoma, presided over today’s hearing.  HERCULES is in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service,” noted U.S. Attorney Sperling.

“Co-defendant Mullins pled guilty to the same conspiracy on November 5, 2008.  She was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment by Judge Payne yesterday.  She remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service.”

“Co-defendant Crawford also pled guilty to the charged conspiracy on February 9, 2009.  His sentencing is scheduled on July 17, 2009, at 9:30 AM.  He has been detained, pursuant to court order, in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.”

“Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Dean Burris represented the government.”