Millionaire lifer sought $50K contract hit on judge, offered $25K to kill prosecutor, charges allege
Already serving a life sentence imposed earlier this year, a millionaire convicted child molester is now facing new charges in Florida.
Loomes Wheeler Jr., 72, is accused of conspiring with a fellow inmate in an effort to hire a hit man, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The alleged targets were Circuit Judge Leticia Marques, who sentenced him in the Osceola County case; Gabrielle Sanders, the prosecutor in his case; and four others, including one of his juvenile victims and detectives who worked on his case, the newspaper reports.
In a letter, Wheeler offered to pay $50,000 to have the judge killed and $25,000 for the prosecutor, according to WFTV and an arrest affidavit (PDF).
Several small payments Wheeler allegedly made were intercepted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Messages Wheeler allegedly left on what he thought was a potential hit man’s voice mail were actually received by an undercover officer.
It isn’t clear from news reports what role the fellow inmate is accused of playing in the crime, or how Wheeler came into contact with the undercover officer.
Wheeler faces six counts of solicitation to commit murder and will be prosecuted in Gulf County; the alleged crime occurred while he was being held at the Gulf Correctional Institution in Wewahitchka.
“No question he has the money, he had the intent and that is the big part of this crime. He had every bit of intent of doing this, and he was trying to find someone to carry out his wish for him,” Danny Banks of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement told WFTV.
An investigation is ongoing.
Hat tip: Daily Mail
Related coverage:
Orlando Sentinel: “Jury finds Loomes Wheeler guilty on lesser charges”
Orlando Sentinel: “Millionaire Loomes Wheeler Jr. gets 2 life sentences for child rape”
