FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - March 6, 2008

CAROLINA BEACH MAN SENTENCED IN MURDER FOR HIRE CASE

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced JAMES PATRICK YURATOVICH, 34, of Carolina Beach, North Carolina, to 180 months’ imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.

On November 11, 2007, YURATOVICH entered a plea of guilty to murder for hire and possession of a short-barreled rifle in furtherance of a violent crime.

In December, 2006, information was provided to the FBI that YURATOVICH wanted to hire someone to kill Carolina Beach Police Department Lieutenant Bill Goodson and Danny McLaughlin, a local restaurant owner in Carolina Beach. According to YURATOVICH, Lt. Goodson stood in the way of YURATOVICH being able to distribute cocaine, and YURATOVICH believes McLaughlin was Goodson’s informant.

In January, 2007, after arrangements having been made, YURATOVICH traveled to Atlantic City, New Jersey, and met with two FBI agents, whom YURATOVICH was led to believe were members of organized crime. YURATOVICH had decided that he no longer wanted Lt. Goodson killed as the Lieutenant was due to retire within a month; however, he still wanted McLaughin killed along with another unidentified person in an unrelated matter. YURATOVICH revealed he was offered $5,000.00 cash from a male to kill the unknown person and YURATOVICH proposed giving the $5,000.00 to the agents for the killing. YURATOVICH also offered to provide a MAC 10 submachine gun and an RBP Industries, Inc., model SAP M10, .45 ACP caliber short-barreled rifle to use in the killing of McLaughlin.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Felice McConnell Corpening served as prosecutor for the government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.