United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

AMARILLO MAN CONVICTED IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT
SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE

AMARILLO, Texas. — Charles Lee Young, 56, who pled guilty in August to using interstate communications to commit murder-for-hire, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson to the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Judge Robinson also ordered that Young pay a $1000 fine.

According to the documents filed in Court, on April 26, 2007, a cooperating witness informed the FBI that he had a conversation two weeks earlier with Young in which Young indicated he would pay $10,000 to someone willing to kill his ex-wife. Young complained that his ex-wife, Susan Young, had taken their two young children and moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and that she was doing everything possible to keep him from seeing their two children. According to the cooperating witness, Young operated a trucking business which provided escort services for vehicles transporting wide loads.

On April 30, 2007, at the direction of the FBI, the cooperating witness placed a consensually-monitored telephone call to Charles Young’s cell phone and spoke to Young, who indicated that he was in North Dakota for a job and would be there several weeks or longer. During that conversation, the confidential witness referenced the conversation they had earlier and stated that he knew someone who would be willing to do the job. Young asked how much it would cost and inquired about the trustworthiness of the individual to whom the confidential witness was referring. Young stated he would have to set up an installment plan for the payments and advised that he wanted no contact with the “would-be” killer. Young said he could probably offer “10" for the job.

On May 2, 2007, the confidential witness placed a consensually-monitored call and spoke to Young. Young indicated he could give the confidential witness a down payment to give to the hired killer. Young and the confidential witness spoke about the information the hired killer would need to kill Susan Young. Young indicated that he planned to be on vacation in the Phillippines when

1his wife was killed and stated that the hired killer would have to go to Susan Young’s residence and determine the best time to commit the killing.

Young was arrested on June 6, 2007, upon his return to Amarillo, and before he could further plot to have his ex-wife murdered. He has been in custody since that time.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy L. Drake of the Amarillo, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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