DOJ: Maine man charged with murder-for-hire plot in Midtown Manhattan

NEW YORK — A New England man is under arrest for his participation in a plot to commit murder in New York, authorities allege.

Hyunkook Korsiak, 41, of Augusta, Maine, is charged with one count of murder for hire and one count of possession of a firearm. Korsiak also has a 2017 federal felony conviction for theft from a licensed firearms dealer, according to officials.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) says from January until March 8, an undercover FBI agent agreed to pay Korsiak $50,000 in a scheme to murder a fictitious businessman in Manhattan. The Bureau of Prions intercepted a message from Korsiak in January where he expressed interest in wanting to kill a person for money. Since then, undercover agents met with the defendant on multiple occasions in New York and Boston, according to authorities.

During once such meeting, the DOJ says Korsiak described how he was going to kill the fictitious man, including what weapons he planned on using (an AR-15 rifle and a 9MM pistol). The defendant allegedly asked agents to provide him with silencers for his guns and a latex mask to avoid detection. Similarly, he allegedly told FBI agents he planned on wearing a police uniform to evade capture.

According to law enforcement officials, on March 8, Korsiak drove from Maine to Tarrytown, New York, where he intended to make his final preparations to carry out the homicide. Upon arrival, FBI agents arrested him and took him into custody without incident. He had 4 high powered guns on him, a bulletproof vest, hundreds of rounds of ammo, a latex mask and latex gloves.

“Thanks to the work of our remarkable law enforcement partners, Korsiak now stands charged in federal court for his alleged role in this terrible crime,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.

A murder for hire charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. A firearm felony conviction carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

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