Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty in Two Murder for Hire Schemes

Baltimore, Maryland – Tavon Slowe, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to charges arising from two murder for hire contracts. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, in March of 2012, a fight occurred near West Paterson Park Avenue and Chase Street.  One of the participants was Gregory Parker.  A few days later, an individual was given a “contract” to kill Gregory Parker.  The individual arranged with Slowe to kill Gregory Parker for $5,000.

On March 16, 2012, the individual called Slowe on a cell phone and the two met in person, along with another person.  The individual told Slowe where the victim could be found and that the victim was wearing a blue floppy hat.  The two agreed that Slowe was to use his own gun, but that the individual would replace it after Parker had been killed.

Within about an hour after the meeting, Gregory Parker was shot multiple times with a .9mm semi-automatic pistol on East Chase Street in Baltimore City.  Fourteen shell casings were found at the scene.  Parker was wearing a blue floppy hat.  Video surveillance depicts the shooter running from the murder scene and getting into a car driven by Slowe.

In March 2013, at the direction of the FBI, the individual called Slowe from a jail phone and told Slowe that he had been sentenced to a lengthy incarceration period after being set up by a person he had known since he was four years old. Slowe agreed to commit a murder for money.  Slowe requested two guns to commit the murder. The individual told Slowe that another person would meet with Slowe to provide the money and guns.

On April 26, 2013, at the FBI’s direction, an undercover officer met with Slowe, and Slowe agreed to meet her again at a later date to receive the handguns and money.  Slowe was upset that he was not getting the handguns that day and would only be paid $3,000 up front, arguing that it is usually $5,000.

On April 29th, the individual spoke with Slowe and worked out details concerning the murder for hire.  Slowe stated that if the intended victim was not alone, Slowe would kill the other person as well.  Slowe also expressed concerns over the undercover officer because he did not know her.

On April 30, an arrest operation was planned in which the undercover officer was going to meet with Slowe and provide him the guns that he requested for the murder-for-hire. Slowe did not show up for this meeting. 

On August 8, 2013 Baltimore Police arrested Slowe on drug and gun charges, and Slowe was detained.

On February 4, 2014, at the direction of the FBI, the individual called Slowe’s half-brother to hire him for the same murder.  The individual had previously used the brother, in addition to Slowe, for murder-for-hire contracts in Baltimore.  The brother accepted this contract from the individual.  Later that same day, the brother received a recorded jail call from Slowe in which the brother explained that he received a call from the individual and that he was going to meet the individual’s girl that day.  Slowe cautioned his brother about the possibility of the “girl” being a police officer or “one of them.”  Additionally, Slowe admitted to taking the contract to kill, but that he did not show up on April 30, 2013 because he believed the “girl” was a police officer.

Slowe and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Slowe will be sentenced to 10 years in prison for the use of interstate commerce to facilitate the commission of a murder for hire, which will be served concurrently to a sentence of between 23 and 27 years in prison for conspiracy to use interstate commerce to facilitate the commission of a murder for hire that resulted in death.  Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for August 10, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

Co-defendant Davon Sanford, a/k/a “Chronic,” age 33, of Baltimore, was indicted on the same charges.  His initial appearance and arraignment are scheduled for July 1, 2016. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, Safe Streets Task Force and Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys James G. Warwick and Joshua T. Ferrentino, who are prosecuting the case.