A New Jersey man is facing charges in connection with three murder-for-hire plots, including one in which he allegedly offered drugs to an undercover cop in exchange for killing his ex-girlfriend on Valentine's Day.
Dominic Escalera, 37, has been held at the Lehigh County Jail on $500,000 since February, when he was arrested on state charges of criminal solicitation to commit homicide, illegal possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property and illegal possession of body armor.
Now, federal prosecutors say Escalera used a cell phone to arrange the murders of two other people in exchange for cash and drugs between January 28 and February 17.
Escalera was indicted this week by a grand jury on charges of murder-for-hire and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Dominic Escalera, 37, from New Jersey, faces both state and federal charges for allegedly trying to hire hitmen to kill three people, including his ex-girlfriend, last winter
According to a court documents, Escalera used a cellphone and traveled from Newark, New Jersey, to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to arrange the murders of two people, identified only by their initials M.R. and A.R., and agreed to pay a hitman with cash and drugs.
‘These charges are a warning to anyone thinking that solicitation of homicide is a solution to your problems: This is not a game,’ stated Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. ‘If you try to hire someone to commit murder, you will face an aggressive federal investigation and very serious charges.’
Escalera was arrested on February 17 at the Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where police said he planned to be during the assault on his ex-girlfriend in a bid to establish his alibi.
According to a criminal complaint cited by WMFZ, in January 2021, a detective with the Allentown Police Department had launched an investigation into an alleged plot by Escalera to hire a hitman to kill his ex-girlfriend, who had obtained a protection order against him earlier that month, claiming abuse and a fear for her safety.
During the investigation, an undercover trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police was communicating with Escalera, pretending to be a would-be hitman.
Escalera allegedly offered the trooper 150 Ecstasyp ills as payment for either assaulting or killing his ex-girlfriend. The suspect also allegedly agreed to provide a gun, a .44 caliber Ruger.
When Escalera and the bogus assassin met in person, the suspect handed the trooper a photo of the target and her home address, and gave him the gun and ammunition, the document stated.
According to the complaint, Escalera and the trooper then drove past the ex-girlfriend’s house before heading to the casino, where the man was arrested a short time later wearing body armor.
Under questioning, Escalere allegedly admitted to buying the Ruger off the street and agreeing to pay the trooper in Ecstasy.
Escalera had a criminal history, which included convictions on drug and assault charges in 2006 and 2017.
If convicted of the new federal counts against him, Escalera could face up to 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $750,000 fine.
