According to information provided by Sheriff Bobby Grubbs, on March 24, 2010, at about 1:00 pm, Brown County Sheriff’s Office Deputies assisted officers with the West Central Texas Inter-local Crime Task Force (WCTICTF) and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) in the investigation and arrest of Jeff Harrison, white/male, D.O.B. 10-14-60. Harrison was subsequently charged with Attempted Murder-For-Hire of the Brown County District Judge.
In early March, 2010, WCTICTF officers initiated the investigation with ATF after receiving information that Harrison wanted to murder Judge Steve Ellis, the Brown County District Judge of the 35th Judicial District. ATF worked undercover to meet Harrison who conspired to initiate the for-hire killing of the Brown County District Court Judge. During the course of the investigation, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office initiated a significant number of increased security measures on District Judge Steve Ellis. Throughout the investigation, Sheriff Grubbs was kept apprised by WCTICTF officers of the threat level on Judge Ellis.
Investigating officers and deputies regularly kept Judge Ellis apprised of the events of the investigation until its conclusion on March 24th when Harrison was arrested. Harrison has a lengthy criminal history and was incarcerated at the Brown County Jail for Possession of Marijuana at the time of his arrest.
In a press released issued by U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks states that on March 2, 2010, law enforcement received information that Harrison had inquired about hiring an individual to murder Judge Ellis. A confidential informant (CI) introduced Harrison to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent, working in an undercover capacity, who was portrayed to Harrison as an Aryan prison gang member who could handle this “contract.”
Harrison first contacted the undercover agent by phone and stated:
“[w]hat’s up, this is Jeff Harrison. [the CI] advised that you should be able to help me out with a little bit of this legal problem that I got. I don’t want to say too much, I was just letting you know the court, it’s 35th Judicial, Steve Ellis is my judge, he said you’d get some paperwork rolling for me, so I’m going to shoot you some money so that we can get that rolling right.”
The undercover agent told Harrison that it would cost $10,000 to do this job due to the high risk involved, and Harrison agreed to pay it. On more than one occasion, Harrison told the undercover agent that he could get the $10,000, once saying “things were really going to get good” when he bonded out of jail.
Harrison later stated:
“[t]his place needs to be douched out, it’s corrupt.”
The undercover agent replied:
“[t]his is a business deal to me but I’m going to enjoy that [killing a Judge], because what goes around comes around.”
Harrison then laughed and stated:
“[p]ayback is a b****.”
In another conversation, the undercover agent asked Harrison if he had any preference as to how the execution took place. Harrison advised that he did not care as long as the job got done. Harrison advised that he would hear about it and read about it in the “funny papers.” The undercover agent then asked:
“[y]ou’re going to be happy with the job as long as this dude ends up with a toe tag, right?”
Harrison advised that this was correct. Harrison advised that he wanted everything to “go smooth” and advised that he also had “other jobs” for the undercover agent. Harrison further advised that he had been “impressed” with the way the undercover agent had handled the matter.
The undercover agent advised that he did not know exactly when this job would be completed but advised that it would be “pretty quick.” The undercover agent advised that he would do the job as long as Harrison gave his word that “[i]t’s all going to be made right;” and Harrison stated, “[a]ll I’ve got is my word.”
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a federal grand jury for indictment.
U.S. Attorney Jacks praised the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force, the Texas Rangers, and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas, is in charge of the prosecution.