Jorge Maturano and Cesar Santos, Murder-for-Hire Plot, Georgia 2015

ATLANTA – In a shocking turn of events, two men have been arrested and charged with murder-for-hire in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Jorge Maturano, 46, and Cesar Santos, 29, both of Mexico, were taken into custody on May 6, 2015, in connection with the alleged plot to kill a member of a rival drug trafficking organization.

According to federal authorities, Maturano and Santos were allegedly hired by a drug trafficking organization in Chicago to travel to the metro Atlanta area and carry out the hit. The intended victim was a member of a rival organization living in Clayton County, Georgia. The suspects were reportedly paid to eliminate the rival gang member, sparking a tense and high-stakes situation that ultimately ended with their arrest.

Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn praised the swift action taken by law enforcement in foiling the plot. ‘These arrests demonstrate how law enforcement, working together with concerned citizens, can not only hold criminals accountable for their actions but prevent violence from occurring in our community,’ Horn stated.

J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, emphasized the FBI’s commitment to addressing the violent aspects of drug trafficking. ‘Our agents responded quickly to end this alleged murder plot. This case reflects the ever-present potential for violence that drug trafficking organizations bring to our community and the FBI will continue to play a role in addressing them,’ Johnson said.

Court records reveal that Maturano and Santos made initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand on May 7, 2015. The charges against the defendants are serious, and they will face a federal trial to determine their guilt or innocence.

The FBI is urging anyone with information regarding this matter to contact the Atlanta Field Office at (404) 679-9000. The U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office can be reached at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016 for further information.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation into this case, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia handling the prosecution. As this remains an ongoing investigation, the public is reminded that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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