Home Oklahoma City Press Releases 2009 Man on Active Duty with the U.S. Army Sentenced for Role in Murder-for-Hire Scheme
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Man on Active Duty with the U.S. Army Sentenced for Role in Murder-for-Hire Scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office July 17, 2009
  • Eastern District of Oklahoma (918) 684-5100

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA—Sheldon J. Sperling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that MICHAEL ANDREW CRAWFORD, age 26, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment, followed by 36 months of supervised release for Conspiracy and Use of Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Sections, 371 and 1958.

“CRAWFORD was on active duty for the United States Army in South Korea,” U.S. Attorney Sperling reported. “Pursuant to federal process, the defendant was returned to this district to face these charges.”

“The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service,” stated U.S. Attorney Sperling.

“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 together 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.  During a series of phone calls and text messages, it became evident that MICHAEL CRAWFORD’S aunt, Regina Hercules, was also involved in the scheme to kill the victim.”

“On September 12, 2008, an undercover agent with OSBI 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 killing. On September 19, 2008, when Mullins brought collateral to the undercover agent to ensure payment of the $5,000.00, Mullins and Hercules were arrested. Following their arrest, Mullins and Hercules provided statements to the FBI acknowledging their involvement in the scheme and implicating CRAWFORD. Military authorities assisted in CRAWFORD’s return to the Eastern District of Oklahoma for judicial proceedings,” continued U.S. Attorney Sperling.

“At the plea hearing on February 9, 2009, the defendant acknowledged that he participated in the scheme to kill the victim. When Judge Kimberly West asked CRAWFORD if he intended to kill someone, the defendant replied, “Yes.”

“The Honorable James H. Payne, Chief District Court Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over today’s hearing. When Judge Payne asked if there was anything CRAWFORD would like to say before he handed down his sentence, CRAWFORD apologized to the victim, his family and the court,” noted U.S. Attorney Sperling.

“The case resulted from the cooperative prosecution efforts of District Attorney Chris Ross and his staff and the United States Attorney’s Office. CRAWFORD will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal.”

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

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