That supposed hitman, it turned out, was an undercover detective.
District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman announced charges against 46-year-old Paul Vangore on Thursday morning. Vangore is the owner of a number of Subway sandwich shops in the region.
It all began on November 12th when police were contacted by a man, only identified as a "confidential source," who claimed he was solicited by Vangore to commit murder.
The man participated in the investigation, the D.A. said, and spoke on the phone numerous times with Vangore as detectives recorded the phone conversations.
"He was attempting to arrange for the kidnapping and murder of a man he believed was having an extramarital relationship with his wife as well as two friends of that man," Ferman said.
While speaking with the confidential source, Ferman said Vangore stated several times that he wanted the confidential source to kidnap and murder the three men.
Ferman went on to say that Vangore wanted the trio to be kidnapped so he could confront them and tell them why they were about to die.
The confidential source told Vangore that he would be unable to carry out the kidnappings and murders on his own and stated that he would need a hitman acquaintance of his to assist in the plot, the D.A. said.
On Wednesday, the man met with Vangore and an undercover detective posing as a hitman, investigators said. During that meeting, the D.A. said, Vangore negotiated a price of $7,500 for the job.
Following the meeting, police arrested Vangore as he left the restaurant. Ferman said a search of Vangore's vehicle revealed $9,000 in large denominations in two sealed bank envelopes. He also allegedly had $2,044 on his person at the time of his arrest.
Vangore is charged with Criminal Solicitation to Commit Murder in the First Degree and Criminal Solicitation to commit Kidnapping.
The three targets in this case all had worked for Vangore at the Subway shops at various points in the past, the D.A. said.
