Two Men Sentenced To Decades In Prison For Murder-For-Hire In Kentucky
Two men have been sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms for their roles in a 2020 murder-for-hire plot in Franklin, Kentucky.
Freddy Manuel Gonzalez, 40, of Bowling Green, received a 40-year sentence, while Xavior Caine Posey, 26, of Logan County, was sentenced to 35 years. Both men were convicted of murder through the use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents, Gonzalez and Posey conspired to murder the victim in December 2020. Gonzalez provided Posey with the firearm, and Posey carried out the killing, shooting the victim three times in Franklin, Kentucky. Gonzalez later paid Posey for the murder.
"I commend the ATF, the local law enforcement agencies who assisted in the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sewell and Weiser for their outstanding work during the investigation and prosecution of this case," stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. "As a result of the strong working relationships that exist between our law enforcement partners, these violent defendants will now spend decades in federal prison. The fight against violent crime is a top priority of this office and we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute it wherever it occurs."
A third individual, Andy Martin Schmucker, 37, of Beaver Dam, Kentucky, has pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the murder-for-hire. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2024.
"This senseless act of violence took a man from his family," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Morrow. "I commend ATF Bowling Green Field Office, our partners with the Franklin, KY Police Department, and the prosecution team for working tirelessly to bring these killers to justice. Our thoughts are with Mr. Russell's loved ones, and we hope this sentence brings some sense of closure to his family and that it sends a very clear message that ATF and our law enforcement partners will always seek justice for violent crimes in Kentucky."
This case was investigated by the ATF Louisville Field Division and the Franklin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jo Lawless and Madison Sewell prosecuted the case.
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