A 22-year-old Evans man was sentenced this morning to 15 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot hatched with a Weld County Jail inmate.
Jesse Rodriguez will serve a mandatory five years on parole once he completes his sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation, a class 2 felony, said Weld County District Attorney spokeswoman Jennifer Finch.
Police said Rodriguez was contacted in June 2010 by a fellow gang member Christian Hanson, while Hanson was in custody in the Weld County Jail. Hanson was behind bars for numerous felony charges including sexual assault.
Hanson asked Rodriguez to arrange for the victim in the sexual assault case to be killed. Rodriguez then met, unknowingly, with an undercover officer in an attempt to arrange the murder-for hire.
Rodriguez was arrested on June 4, 2010, on the conspiracy charge as well as solicitation of first-degree murder after deliberation, also a class 2 felony. Rodriguez pled to the conspiracy charge Dec. 22, 2010.
Hanson was convicted in November for several felonies including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation and solicitation for first degree murder after deliberation. He was sentenced to 176 years in prison earlier this year, Finch said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
