NJ man charged in murder-for-hire plot against woman he met online

A Newton man appeared in federal court Tuesday after being charged with planning to kidnap and murder a Paterson woman whom he met through an online dating service, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said in a press release.

According to the criminal complaint, Christopher Thieme, 35, is charged with one count of murder-for-hire and one count of attempted kidnapping. Thieme appeared in federal court in Newark Tuesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court and was detained.

The attorney general said Thieme met the victim through an online dating service. From December 2015 through Jan. 4, 2016, he "sought assistance from an associate" in an attempt to kidnap and ultimately murder the woman. It was Thieme’s associate - a Pennsylvania resident - who contacted police and alerted them to the plan. The attorney general said the associate "cooperated with law enforcement’s investigation into Thieme’s plot."

"In early January, at the direction of law enforcement, Thieme’s associate introduced Thieme to an undercover FBI agent posing as a hitman," the attorney general said in a press release.

Thieme told the undercover agent that his plan involved kidnapping the victim, holding her for a week or two, draining her bank accounts, selling her home and then using $25,000 of the profits to pay the hitman for the kidnapping and murder.

In the complaint, authorities state that on Dec. 22, the associate, under the direction of FBI agents, contacted Thieme asking if he still wanted to go through with the plot, indicating that if he was serious, a meeting would be set up with the person who would carry out the kidnapping and murder. In a recorded phone call, Thieme said, "Number one, I definitely still want this, and number two, he's not going to be wasting his time, I'm definitely still in."

The complaint states that Thieme and the victim met in November of 2015 through an online dating site, but after two dates, she attempted to cut off contact with Thieme.

On Jan. 4, Thieme and his associate - who has not been identified by law enforcement - met with the FBI agent posing as the hitman "and drove them to the victim’s home and other locations where the victim could be found," authorities said.

Law enforcement officials arrested Thieme a short time later.

According to the attorney general, if convicted on the murder-for-hire charge, Thieme could face a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison as well as a $250,000 fine. Thieme also faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of attempted kidnapping.

Thieme is being represented by assistant federal public defender Patrick McMahon. he could not be reached for comment. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Hafetz of the U.S. Attorney’s Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor for news at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.