A Columbus woman charged Monday with attempting to buy a man’s murder through the internet’s “dark web” will remain in custody for now, after a brief hearing in federal court Tuesday.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Elgersma told U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker that prosecutors intend to take the case against Kelly R. Harper, 37, to a grand jury on Wednesday to seek a formal indictment. Harper was charged in a criminal complaint Monday with using the internet to hire someone to commit murder.
Harper’s attorney, federal defender Joseph Bugni, said he does not intend to contest Harper’s detention at this point, and she remains in the Dane County Jail. She did not appear during Tuesday’s brief hearing, which was held by video conference. If indicted, she will next appear in court on Feb. 16.
The FBI and Sun Prairie police learned of the plot last month from a group of journalists and the man who was alleged to be targeted, the complaint states. The journalists, who were not identified in the complaint, were investigating a murder-for-hire site on the dark web, where they uncovered information showing someone wanted to kill the man.
The hit was to be paid in bitcoin, the complaint states, and the FBI found information linking Harper to a bitcoin wallet that was to be used to pay for the hit.
The complaint also states Harper admitted to an FBI agent that she had tried to hire someone to kill the man. Harper was arrested Friday, when federal agents executed a search warrant at her home.
Harper
The intended victim of the hit was her former husband, according to a note filed Monday in the couple’s divorce case file. The note, and correspondence from the man’s lawyer, asked a Dane County judge to seal the divorce file. A motion on that request is to be heard on Wednesday.
The man, in his note to Dane County Court Commissioner Jason Hanson, also asked for an emergency hearing to modify placement and custody of the couple’s children.
The couple divorced in 2017 but issues such as custody and placement of the children have persisted since then, according to the case file. Harper was convicted of felony theft in 2009 in Maricopa County, Arizona, and sentenced to 18 months of probation, according to Arizona court records.
Teen arrested for Grand Chute mall shooting tops recent local crime news
U.S. Marshals arrest teen wanted for targeted fatal shooting at Fox River Mall
A U.S. Marshals' Fugitive Task Force on Thursday arrested a 17-year-old wanted for the targeted shooting that left one person dead and another wounded at the Fox River Mall outside of Appleton.
Dezman V. Ellis was taken into custody at a Des Moines, Iowa, residence about 3:30 p.m. by the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, which became part of the investigation Monday, according to the Grand Chute Police Department. Ellis faces tentative charges of first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
Sun Prairie man arrested after rifle fired during disturbance, police say
A Sun Prairie man was arrested after a rifle was fired during a disturbance on Sunday night, Sun Prairie police reported.
Shortly before 7:15 p.m., police responded to the 100 block of South Bird Street on a report of multiple shots fired, Sgt. Jason Scott said in a report.
Arriving officers determined that two rifle rounds were fired into the ground during a disturbance between multiple people, with no injuries reported, Scott said.
Clerk at Far East Side hotel locks self in office as officers respond to disturbance, Madison police say
A hotel clerk locked themselves in an office as officers responded to a disturbance Saturday night involving about 10 people, Madison police reported.
At about 9:45 p.m., officers were called to the Residence Inn, 4862 Hayes Rd. on the Far East Side, on the disturbance report, police spokesman Tyler Grigg said in a statement.
Madison police investigating road rage shooting on Beltline
Madison police are investigating a road rage shooting on the eastbound Beltline Tuesday night.
Officers responded to a report of shots fired near the intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 14 at around 7:25 p.m., Sgt. Daniel Sherrick said. A man said that his car was hit by gunshots fired by people in another car that he did not know.
Man who repeatedly stabbed roommate gets 22-year mental commitment
A man who pleaded guilty to stabbing a roommate in 2019, but was found not legally responsible for the crime due to mental illness, was ordered committed Tuesday to the state Department of Health Services for 22 years.
Luke R. Faircloth, 28, will begin his commitment at a state mental institution, where he will remain until he receives treatment and has convinced a judge that he is no longer a danger to himself or others. He would still remain under DHS supervision once he is released.
Panhandler who followed man, kicked in apartment door arrested again for East Side disturbance
A panhandler who was arrested in December for following a man home to his apartment and kicking the door in was again arrested Tuesday for causing a disturbance on the East Side.
George R. Staisil, 37, was at the Metro Transit East Transfer Point, 102 W. Corporate Drive, fighting, yelling and harassing other passengers at around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Madison police spokesperson Tyler Grigg said.
Staisil then struggled with officers, spat at and made threats towards them all while resisting arrest.
Man charged with attempted carjacking, reckless injury in East Side shooting last week that wounded one
A shooting that left a person in serious condition last week happened during an apparent attempt to steal a car at gunpoint, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday that charged an 18-year-old man with the shooting.
The complaint charged Jakel D. Jones, of Fitchburg, with first-degree reckless injury, attempted carjacking and several other charges for the Friday afternoon shooting of a man in the 4200 block of Maher Avenue on Madison’s East Side.
Woman calls police after man watching her from outside bedroom window exposes himself
A 20-year-old woman called police to her Downtown residence late Wednesday night after a man stood outside her bedroom window and exposed himself.
The woman said the man was standing outside her bedroom window on the 500 block of W. Mifflin Street at around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday "watching her," Madison police spokesperson Tyler Grigg said. The woman told her roommates about the man after he exposed himself, and they went outside to look for him but were unsuccessful.
72-year-old man walking dog hit in crosswalk by 81-year-old driver, Madison police say
A 72-year-old man was hit while walking his dog by an 81-year-old driver at the intersection of Raymond Road and McKenna Boulevard Thursday morning.
The pedestrian was walking his dog in the crosswalk at the intersection with the walk signal on at around 10:40 a.m. Thursday when he was hit by the driver traveling at a slow speed, Madison police spokesperson Tyler Grigg said.
Man charged with animal abuse after dog dies from being kicked
A Madison man was charged Friday with kicking a dog to death earlier this week during a dispute with another man, telling the man after he kicked the dog, “the dog deserved it,” according to a criminal complaint.
Ishmael L. Moran, 31, was charged with felony animal mistreatment, disorderly conduct and two counts of bail jumping for the incident, which police said happened Monday night outside Porchlight, 306 N. Brooks St., where Moran was living.
Ed Treleven | Wisconsin State Journal
Ed Treleven is the courts reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal.
