rey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that JOEL ROSQUETTE, a/k/a “Rick,” was arrested today for attempting to hire a hitman to murder three intended victims. ROSQUETTE was presented today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Joel Rosquette attempted to hire
a hitman to murder two of his neighbors in Manhattan and the owner of a gas
station in Staten Island. Now, thanks to
the dedicated work of our partners at the FBI, Rosquette’s plan has been
foiled, he is in federal custody, and his intended victims are safe.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, Rosquette commissioned a hitman
to carry out three murders on his behalf.
In the end, he was fooled by the merits of his own plan. Today, we
foiled this murder-for-hire scheme, sparing three innocent lives a most unfortunate
fate.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint filed today in
Manhattan federal court[1]:
ROSQUETTE hired an individual he thought was a hitman to
murder two of his neighbors in Manhattan.
Because ROSQUETTE was short on cash, he arranged for the hitman to
murder another person first – the owner of a gas station in Staten Island – and
rob the gas station’s safe. ROSQUETTE’s
plan was to have the proceeds of the gas station robbery pay for the murder of
his two neighbors. What ROSQUETTE did
not know was that the person he thought was a hitman was actually an undercover
FBI agent. This morning, ROSQUETTE was
arrested and his plan to commission three murders was foiled.
*
* *
ROSQUETTE, 50, of Manhattan, New York, is charged with three
counts of murder-for-hire, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years
in prison. The maximum potential
sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for
informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be
determined by the judge.
U.S. Attorney Berman praised the outstanding work of the
FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and
Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United
States Attorney Adam S. Hobson is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely
accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven
guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of
the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein
constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an
allegation.
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