Gwen Bergman searched the Internet in March 2004 for a hitman to kill her ex-husband and paid $30,000 from her mother’s mortgage and retirement fund to do the job, federal prosecutors say.
The man Bergman tried to hire was a retired Denver police officer and the company he worked for notified the FBI of the plot before it could unfold, court records say.
The 52-year-old Pitkin County woman was charged with mailing money across state lines for the commission of murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit the murder-for-hire of her ex-husband, John LaCouture of Aspen.
LaCouture had obtained custody of the couple’s son and had a restraining order against Bergman at the time of the incident, records show.
A bench trial began Monday before U.S. District Judge Walker D. Miller. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on both counts.
An affidavit says Bergman contacted Armed Protective Services, an Internet company that was based out of Florida that provides security and private investigations.
Bergman asked owner Jerry Eden for a personal bodyguard to protect her and her then-six-year-old son from her ex-husband who she said had threatened to kill the child, according to court records.
Eden dispatched retired Denver officer Peter Adams to help Bergman and prosecutors say she then asked the men to “make her husband go away” and to make it look like a drug deal gone wrong.
LaCouture was notified by the FBI that his wife was accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill him and was not harmed.
Eden testified that he tried to get Bergman to change her mind several times, but she insisted the job get done.
“I gave her ample opportunity with every single phone call,” Eden said. “Are you sure you want this deal done? Once this is done you will have no father for your child.”
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
