A Manteca man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his part in a murder-for-hire plot, according to federal authorities. Jagninder Singh Boparai, 49, of Manteca was handed down the sentence by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta for conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.
"This defendant met on five separate occasions with a person he thought to be a hitman and provided payments for the services he desired in order to ‘teach a lesson’ to two of his enemies," Eric Grant stated in the press release. Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the Sacramento Field Office highlighted the FBI's "zero tolerance for violent crimes" and recognized the collaborative efforts of law enforcement partners that led to the safety of the victims and successful conclusion of the investigation.
Boparai, alongside co-defendants Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr. and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, was involved in a scheme to murder a man with whom they had a dispute. The supposed hitman they were dealing with was, in fact, a confidential informant working for the FBI. In February 2023, Boparai initially hired the informant for an assault and then escalated his requests to include the robbery of a business and a murder, for which he provided a $10,000 down payment. Sandhu was also involved in the plot, providing an address for the second victim and instructing that the murder be done with no evidence left behind. Boparai and his co-defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, after being under surveillance by federal law enforcement.
While Boparai has been sentenced, Sandhu pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 31, and is awaiting sentencing on November 13. Sandhu could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, though the actual sentence will be determined by the court. The third defendant, Birla, however, still faces charges and is expected to attend a status conference on October 23. Although the allegations against Birla stand, it is to be noted that he maintains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
