Man Tried Hiring White Supremacists To Kill Black Neighbor: Feds

GREENWOOD COUNTY, SC — A South Carolina man is facing murder-for-hire charges after authorities say he tried to enlist the help of a white supremacist organization to have his black neighbor killed.

According to a criminal complaint, the FBI received a tip in March that 25-year-old Brandon Lecroy had contacted a white supremacist extremist organization and had indicated that he wanted assistance with the murder of his black neighbor, the complaint alleges. Feds allege that the next day, Lecroy made an arrangement over the phone with an undercover FBI agent.

"$500 and he's a ghost," Lecroy told the undercover agent, according to the complaint. He also asked to put a "flaming cross" in his neighbor's front yard and to hang his neighbor from a tree, the complaint alleges.

Feds say Lecroy sent the undercover agent photos of two intended targets. In a phone conversation two days later, Lecroy reaffirmed the agreement and discussed the best time to commit the murder, plans to take over the victim's property, and said he wanted to obtain a 9mm handgun that would be untraceable, the complaint alleges. Authorities say Lecroy told the undercover agent he has more jobs for him in the future.

On April 9, Lecroy met the undercover agent in Greenwood where he showed him his neighbor's home and discussed "future targets," the complaint alleges. Feds say Lecroy also gave the undercover agent a $100 down payment.

A grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Lecroy, charging him with solicitation to commit a crime of violence and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, the United States Attorney's Office for the district of South Carolina announced on Tuesday.

Lecroy was arrested on April 9 and a federal judge ordered a mental health evaluation.

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