Local News

2 Mass. men charged in alleged murder-for-hire plot against federal witness

Elijah Melton, 26, and Kareem Pires, 25, are both facing charges.

May 21, 2024

1 minute to read

Two Massachusetts men are facing charges of conspiring to commit murder for hire in what prosecutors say was a plot against a witness in a federal drug case.

Elijah Melton, 26, of Middleborough, and Kareem Pires, 25, of Wareham, are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit murder for hire, according to the office of acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy. Pires appeared in court on Tuesday, while Melton is in federal custody and expected to appear in court at a later date, prosecutors said.

Levy’s office said the alleged plot stems from Melton’s arrest in December 2023, when he was indicted on federal drug charges. He was released from custody on conditions but was arrested in February for allegedly violating those pretrial release conditions. He has been in custody since.

Prosecutors say a cooperating witness told authorities Melton solicited him to murder a person that Melton believed was a witness in his federal drug case, allegedly telling the witness that his gang had placed a “bounty” on that person.

“Melton allegedly offered to arrange for a juvenile family member to deliver $75,000 to a family member of the cooperating witness,” Levy’s office said. “The cooperating witness informed federal authorities that he refused the money at that time.”

Melton also allegedly asked the witness to murder two other people who were “beefing” with his crew, providing information to identify the people he wanted killed.

“Melton also allegedly told the cooperating witness that he wanted two federal prosecutors murdered, provided the cooperating witness with certain information about the prosecutors and indicated that he would provide the money to murder the prosecutors personally,” Levy’s office.

Prosecutors allege that Melton told the witness that Pires, who was not in custody, would help identify the people he wanted killed. In April, authorities said the cooperating witness met with Pires, who allegedly agreed to assemble the information about the federal witness and rivals.

A charge of conspiracy to commit murder for hire can result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, according to Levy’s office.