Middlesex County Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Ex-Wife and Her Daughter

Michael Stewart of Monroe Township Pleads Guilty to Arranging a Hitman to Kill His Ex-Wife and Stepdaughter

Newark, NJ – In a shocking case of betrayal and violence, a 69-year-old Monroe Township man was sentenced to 97 months in prison for plotting to hire a hitman to murder his ex-wife and her daughter. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the sentencing on May 2, 2023, in Newark federal court.

Michael Stewart, the perpetrator of the murder-for-hire plot, had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to one count of the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder for hire. In addition to the prison term, Judge Neals also sentenced Stewart to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Stewart and a confidential source had discussed the murder of his ex-wife and her daughter in the summer of 2021. Stewart indicated he would pay for the murders and asked the confidential source to find a hitman. In October 2021, Stewart met with an undercover agent who he believed to be a hitman. He informed the agent that he wanted his ex-wife's daughter to be killed first, followed by his ex-wife.

Stewart provided the undercover agent with detailed information about the intended victims, including their names, addresses, the layout of their property, and the types of cars they drove. He even showed the agent a photo of his ex-wife. To secure the agent's services, Stewart handed over $500 as a partial payment for the gruesome crime.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, for their diligent work in the investigation leading to Stewart's sentencing. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Olta Bejleri of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

The shocking case serves as a reminder that law enforcement agencies continue to work tirelessly to uncover and thwart violent criminal plots, ensuring that justice is served for those who seek to cause harm to others.