Murder For Hire Plot Arrests Announced

Four men from around the state - including Lakewoood - have been arrested and charged in connection with a murder for hire plot, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday.

Joaquin Gutierrez, 38, was solicited by Jesus Lerin-Diaz, 38, of Lakewood, to conduct surveillance on a potential murder target, Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford said in a release.

Also named as part of the plot were Erich Williams and Joseph Crotta, of North Brunswick, according to the release.

On Feb. 10, Ford said, Williams went to where he planned to meet with Lerin-Diaz. Unknown to him, Lerin-Diaz had been arrested on Feb. 8. When he arrived at the mall, the as well as the State Police placed Williams under arrest.

That same day authorities went to Crotta's home where he was arrested by the Lakewood Police along with detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the North Brunswick Police Department.

Williams has been charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Judge Francis R. Hodgson Jr. set his bail at $250,000 with no 10 percent option. Crotta and Lerin-Diaz were both charged with conspiracy to commit murder. His bail was also set at $250,000 with no 10 percent option.

Gutierrez has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and had his bail set at $50,000 with no 10 percent option by Judge Hodgson. He was arrested on Feb. 14 by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and Lakewood Police Department.

Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact Sgt. Carlos Trujillotovar of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office at 732-929-2027 or Det. Oscar Valmon of the Lakewood Police Department at 732-363-0200