Rogers man sentenced in murder-for-hire plot

Leo Mays
Leo Mays

BENTONVILLE -- A Rogers man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in a murder-for-hire plot.

Leo Mays , 50, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit capital murder, a Class A felony. The plea was reached between attorney David Hogue and Stuart Cearley, chief deputy prosecutor.

Mays was arrested Jan. 22, 2014.

A confidential informant told a Benton County Sheriff's Office detective Mays planned to murder a man he believed provided information to law enforcement that led to Mays' arrest on drug charges, according to court documents.

Detectives believe Mays planned to coax the man to Kansas City where he would be shot and killed by associates of Mays, according to court documents.

An informant told Mays it would cost $5,000 to hire a friend to kill the man. Mays said he would pay that, according to court documents.

Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Mays' guilty plea.

Mays must abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 10 years after his release from prison.

NW News on 05/06/2015

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