Murder-for-hire plot alleged

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Pittsburgh man has been charged after investigators said he hired an undercover federal agent to kill a woman who forced him to leave a lucrative job at a legal marijuana grow operation in California.

Brad Lanese, 52, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania with intent to commit a murder for hire, acting U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song said Friday.

Mr. Lanese owned and operated a marijuana grow operation in Whitethorn, Calif., with his cousin and his cousin’s wife, according to a criminal complaint.

Eventually, though, Mr. Lanese and his cousin’s wife — identified in court documents as L.D. — began having difficulties, investigators said. Mr. Lanese was given $29,000 and asked to leave the property, according to the complaint.

Mr. Lanese returned to Pittsburgh and, according to recorded conversations transcribed in the complaint, spent the next four years stewing over the fact that L.D. forced him out of the grow operation.

Mr. Lanese first developed a plan to rob the marijuana grow operation and enlisted the help of a man who was serving as an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The two men traveled to Northern California on Oct. 31 to rob the operation. The informant — who was not identified — introduced Mr. Lanese to “Deeds,” an undercoverDEA agent who was supposed to provide weapons and logistical support for the robbery.

Mr. Lanese, however, decided to change the plans, investigators said. He told “Deeds” and the informant that instead of robbing the operation, he wanted to kill L.D., according to the complaint.

Mr. Lanese suggested that “Deeds” inject L.D. with a fatal amount of heroin, put her into a car, and push it over a cliff into the Pacific Ocean, investigators said.

He told the undercover operatives that L.D. drove a dangerous windy road through the mountains to remote marijuana fields, where she would use drugs every night.

He said “Deeds” could wait on the road and act as if he were having car problems until L.D. drove by, according to the complaint. He told them L.D. would stop to help, giving “Deeds” the opportunity to enact the plan.

While in California, Mr. Lanese took the informant to the spot where he thought “Deeds” could commit the murder and push L.D.’s car over a cliff.

Back in Pittsburgh on Nov. 14, Mr. Lanese confirmed to “Deeds” that he wanted him to kill L.D. and agreed to pay $30,000 for the crime.

Mr. Lanese was subsequently arrested, though authorities did not say when or where he was taken into custody.

A detention hearing for Mr. Lanese has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen P. Kelly.

He could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.