Source: United States Department of Justice News
TYLER, Texas – A Grapeland, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Reynaldo Campos, Jr., 44, pleaded guilty to murder for hire today before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 9, 2022, Campos contacted an individual who he believed was a hitman, but who was in fact an undercover federal agent, and solicited the “hitman” to murder a former associate of Campos, claiming the intended victim had either stolen drugs from him or owed him money. Campos discussed the intended murder with the agent on multiple occasions over the next several weeks. On April 8, 2022, Campos and his girlfriend, Robin Pittman, traveled together from Houston County to Tyler to discuss the murder, to provide the “hit man” with a handgun to be used for the murder, and to provide the “hit man” with information about the intended victim. On April 13, 2022, Campos and Pittman again traveled together from Houston County to Tyler to discuss the murder and to provide the “hit man” with approximately one gallon of Phenylacetone/P2P, which is a chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, and a shotgun as partial payment for the murder of the intended victim.
Campos and Pittman were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 21, 2022. Pittman pleaded guilty on August 9, 2022, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing.
Campos faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
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