Federal Inmate Gets 19 Additional Years in Prison in Connection with Second Murder-for-Hire Scheme

TAMPA—On October 7, 2013, U.S. District Judge William J. Castagna sentenced Alexander Shevgert, an inmate at Coleman Federal Prison and former resident of Sarasota, to an additional 19 years in federal prison for a murder-for-hire scheme in which he attempted to murder three family members. Shevgert pleaded guilty on July 12, 2013.

According to court documents, between July 2011 and May 2012, Shevgert, while incarcerated at Coleman Federal Prison, solicited others to effect the murders of three family members identified herein as G.K., V.K., and GK. At the time, Shevgert was serving a 25-year prison sentenced for conspiracy to travel across state lines with intent to kill, injure, and harass another person and for traveling across state lines with intent to kill, injure, an harass another person. Two of the three individuals that Shevgert wanted murdered were victims from the previous case. Shevgert believed that if he were able to effect the murders of the victims, he might have a greater chance of success during an appeal of the previous case. He thought it would be more believable that he was not guilty of harming the victims in the first case if the victims were harmed again while he was incarcerated. Further, Shevgert wanted to ensure that the three victims, G.K., V.K., and G.K, were not available to testify at any further proceedings.

After soliciting other inmates to help arrange for the murders, law enforcement was notified, and an investigation was conducted. An undercover detective, posing as a hitman, exchanged phone calls and e-mails and met with Shevgert. During the exchanges, Shevgert discussed and arranged the murders of the victims. As payment for the murders, Shevgert provided the hitman with detailed information regarding a friend of his, identified herein as J.S. Shevgert believed J.S. had a substantial amount of valuable personal property at his home. Shevgert instructed the the hitman to commit a robbery of J.S. He told the hitman to steal his property and sell the stolen items as payment for the murders. Shevgert advised the hitman that it did not matter to him if J.S. was murdered during the robbery.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.