LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Mexican National has been convicted of threatening to murder an Assistant United States Attorney and soliciting to murder an officer of the United States. Edgar Villa-Castaneda, 43, was found guilty of both charges in a two-count indictment returned on February 2, 2017, following a two-day trial.
The jury deliberated for 45 minutes before returning the guilty verdict. Villa-Castaneda remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing on January 26, 2017, at 1:30pm, before United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves. He could be sentenced to not more than a combined 30 years’ imprisonment, followed by a three-year period of supervised release.
The charges stem from Villa-Castaneda’s time at the Woodford County Detention Center, where he was incarcerated pending federal drug charges filed by Assistant United States Attorney Rob Duncan. On September 22, 2015, another inmate at the WCDC contacted his lawyer and reported that Villa-Castaneda, using the nickname ‘Flaco,’ was attempting to hire someone to kill AUSA Duncan.
Villa-Castaneda believed that he and his incarcerated son were being unfairly targeted and erroneously being portrayed as major drug dealers by AUSA Duncan. He asked the inmate if he knew anyone that could ‘whack’ AUSA Duncan for him and offered to pay $25,000 to have it done. He stated he currently had $15,000 hidden in radio speakers at his sister’s house and would pay an additional $10,000 after the job was done.
Villa-Castaneda was questioned by FBI special agents at the Grayson County Detention Center on November 24, 2015, and admitted to making the threats and soliciting an inmate to assist in the murder of AUSA Duncan. He was read his Miranda rights and signed a form stating he understood his rights and waived those rights before making his admission.
United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman stated, ‘The rule of law requires public servants of character to enforce that law. I am grateful to the men and women of the jury in Lexington, who through today’s verdict reinforced that any serious threat to the safety and security of our prosecutors puts our entire community at risk and will not be permitted in our commonwealth.’
Mister Duncan received an appointment by President Donald Trump to serve as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, which awaits confirmation by the United States Senate. Due to recusal by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, this case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, A. Spencer McKiness, and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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