Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that an Ottawa man had been sentenced to 74 years in prison for his involvement in a murder-for-hire plot. On September 14, 2023, 44-year-old Christian Shepherd was found guilty of four counts of Solicitation of Murder for Hire. In May 2010, the former school bus driver was in custody on a charge of criminal sexual assault.

He was accused of attempting to hire another inmate to murder the victim, the victim’s mother, and two detectives. Shepherd reportedly gave the inmate a map to the residence of two of his intended victims and a taunting statement to read to one of the victims. The inmate turned the documents over to the police and agreed to wear a wire that allowed authorities to record Shepherd planning the murders.

After Shepherd was charged in the case, he allegedly hired a second inmate to kill the initial victims as well as the first hitman. The second inmate also informed police about Shepherd’s scheme. Earlier this year, Shepherd was sentenced to 76 years for Solicitation of Murder for Hire and Solicitation of Murder in the case related to the second hitman. He was found guilty in that case in November 2022.

Shepherd was sentenced to 74 years on December 19, 2023. The 74 years will be served consecutively to the 76-year sentence.