Union man allegedly planned to do killing

A Union Township man arrested in an alleged murder-for-hire plot planned to do the killing himself, authorities said.

Lauren Bozart, a spokeswoman from state Attorney General Tom Corbett’s Office, said Thursday that Leslie Richard Ransom, 50, of 1105 Miller Road was allegedly planning to hire a third party to help him carry out the plan.

Ransom was arrested Wednesday in an alleged murder-for-hire plot that had been uncovered last month.

New Castle police Chief Thomas Sansone said he didn’t expect any other arrests in the case. His department worked in conjunction with the Attorney General’s office, state police and Union Township police.

“It didn’t get that far along,” Sansone said of Ransom’s recruiting attempt.

According to the criminal complaint, Ransom wanted to get even with three individuals who had robbed him. He was willing to trade drugs in order to obtain a gun to carry out the murders.

Sansone said the initial information about the plot was provided by a local officer, who worked on the case in cooperation with the Attorney General’s office.

“Our guys did a lot of legwork on this, along with the state police,” Sansone said.

Sansone noted that his department provided technical support, including recording devices, for the operation.

He described the suspect as being a familiar figure to city police.

Sansone said he believed state police handled the initial robbery call that spawned the plot for revenge.

Agents arranged a series of undercover meetings with Ransom and discussed the possibility of trading Roxicet pills for a 9mm handgun, according to a press release from Corbett’s office. Ransom discussed in great detail his plans to kill three individuals and dispose of their bodies in a specific secluded area within Moraine State Park.

Agents said that Ransom allegedly picked the location because it would be difficult for anyone to find the bodies.

As part of the undercover operation, agents provided Ransom with a 9 mm handgun, which had been rendered inoperable. He was taken into custody after taking possession of the handgun. Agents seized Roxicet and Xanax pills and recovered the handgun.

Ransom is charged with two counts of criminal attempted homicide, two counts of criminal solicitation, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of illegal sale or transfer of a firearm and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ransom is in the Lawrence County jail on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Lawrence County Central Court.


http://www.ncnewsmedia.com/archive/2009/09September/Murder_For_Hire/story1.htm