A Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.
Thomas D. Clegg, 42, was found guilty by a jury of participating in a conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
Clegg and others conspired from August 19, 2021, to June 13, 2022, to murder a victim identified as ‘J.C.’ and his family members for payment in cash and marijuana.
The conspiracy included two occasions when Clegg shot J.C. On August 19, 2021, Clegg shot J.C. in the leg and back in the parking lot of Ugly Joe’s bar in Kansas City, Mo.
On May 25, 2022, Clegg shot J.C. in the back in the parking lot of a strip mall located at 4010 Sterling Avenue, Kansas City, Mo.
The businesses in and near the strip mall included an accounting firm, a daycare, and a fitness centre.
One witness had just picked two of her children up from the daycare when her vehicle was struck by the gunfire. One of her windows was shot out, but no one in her vehicle was injured.
Investigators seized Clegg’s cell phone when he was arrested. Investigators also obtained search warrants for Clegg’s cell phone.
Text messages between Clegg and co-conspirators indicated that Clegg was hired to murder J.C.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, May 12.
Clegg pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm utilised in the May 2022 shooting on Tuesday, May 6.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
Clegg has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, as well as prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, trafficking in drugs, voluntary manslaughter, discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, assault, armed criminal action, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Under federal statutes, Clegg is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
