A Massachusetts man has been arrested on murder-for-hire charges.
The U.S. District Attorney announced that Joseph Burke of 43 Lexington St. in Everett was arrested on the federal charges Friday.
Joseph Burke arrested and facing up to 10 years in prison, accused of being a willing participant in a murder-for-hire plot.
Burke's home was raided Friday. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, Burke met with an undercover FBI agent to discuss a number of potential business ventures, telling the agent he needed money and was willing to commit a number of violent crimes even murder.
"So, you might know somebody who wants to get rid of a husband," Burke allegedly said. "That, I’ll do all day long. For a price ... not a problem."
The undercover agent said he wanted a business associate killed. Burke allegedly agreed to do the job, saying, "I'm gonna smash his <expletive> head in."
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But Burke had no idea that the business associate was another undercover agent and this was a setup.
According to court documents, Burke planned to wear a mask that looked like a real human face during the murder.
Burke's girlfriend is also mentioned in the court documents, but is not charged with a crime. Authorities saying the Somerville woman had been assisting Burke in transporting and possessing firearms, which Burke intended to use to carry out the hit.
Once the deal was set and investigators had their conversations recorded, Burke was arrested.
Burke was already on parole when he was arrested. Prosecutors say he's a flight risk and the judge ordered him held in custody pending his next court hearing.
Stay with necn and www.necn.com as this story develops.
