A 21-year-old Air National Guardsman faces federal charges after being arrested in connection with a murder-for-hire scheme.
Josiah Ernesto Garcia, 21, of Hermitage, Tennessee, was charged last week with the use of interstate facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, according to federal authorities. The charges were filed after Garcia allegedly attempted to find work as an assassin on www.rentahitman.com, a spoof website that includes the ability for people to apply as a hitman.
The parody website includes fake testimonials about customer experiences, and says the company is “100% HIPPA compliant,” joking it stands for “Hitman Information Privacy & Protection Act of 1964.”
According to federal authorities, Garcia began searching for contract mercenary jobs earlier this year to make money for his family. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Garcia applied to be a hitman on the site, submitting a resume that touted his employment with the Air National Guard and indicated he had the nickname “Reaper” for his marksmanship.
An undercover FBI agent then began communicating with Garcia, setting up a plan for Garcia to kill someone for $5,000. Last week, Garcia met with the agent at a park in Tennessee, given a fictional target and was provided a down payment of $2,500, said a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Tennessee.
Garcia was then arrested by FBI agents, and a search of his home uncovered an assault rifle type weapon, according to DOJ.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. Garcia faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.