Scranton Man Convicted of Murder-for-Hire Conspiracy and Related Crimes

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts Wednesday against a Scranton man on all five charges related to his participation in a murder-for-hire scheme after a three-day trial in Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo’s courtroom in Wilkes-Barre.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, the jury deliberated approximately three hours before finding Gary Williams, age 45, guilty of conspiracy to commit a murder-for-hire, carrying and possessing a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence, receiving a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony offense, unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and attempting to tamper with a witness.

Williams was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2012 as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department. Williams was charged in a superseding indictment in April 2013. The indictment alleged that Williams agreed to kill the ex-wife of a co-conspirator and that the co-conspirator shipped a rifle and bullets from Cape Coral, Florida, to Scranton for Williams to use to commit the murder. The indictment further alleged that the co-conspirator promised Williams money and a job for committing the murder.

Judge Caputo scheduled sentencing in the case for November 21, 2013. Williams faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $1.25 million, a maximum term of supervised release of 19 years, and a $500 special assessment. Williams was ordered to be detained in prison pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.