Rhode Island sex offender indicted in murder-for-hire against 12-year-old girl who needed to ‘end up dead'
Chandler John Cardente, 28, has multiple convictions for sex crimes in Rhode Island, according to the state's sex offender registry
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A Rhode Island registered sex offender was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury for allegedly trying to entice a 12-year-old girl and then later plotting a murder-for-hire scheme against her from jail because she needed to "end up dead," federal prosecutors said.
Chandler John Cardente, 28, is now charged with enticement of a minor; committing a felony offense involving a minor while being a registered sex offender, and interstate murder-for-hire, the Justice Department said.
Cardente began communicating with the girl on social media on Dec. 3 2021 and posed as a 17-year-old boy, authorities said. The pair allegedly had sexual contact days later. Cardente was later arrested.
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While being held in jail, he spoke to an unidentified person via telephone and allegedly expressed interest in killing the girl because she was a witness against him. He offered the would-be killer $200 in cash and equipment worth $1,500, federal prosecutors said.
13 MEN ACCUSED CHILD SEX CRIMES IN POLK COUNTY STING
Chandler John Cardente, 28, is charged with sex crimes against a young girl and then trying to have her killed with in jail. (Rhode Island Sex Offender Registry)
A Rhode Island State Police detective posing as a hitman gave Cardente a chance to back out of his plan, WPRI-TV reported.
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"I’m going to go to sleep at night so, I’m fine with it.," he allegedly said. "I just need it done before I get indicted."
Cardente was convicted in 2014 of first-degree child molestation and one count of third-degree sexual assault. He was later convicted of other sex offender crimes in 2019 and 2020, according to the state sex offender registry.