27 August 2020
A federal grand jury {indicted|prosecuted|arraigned} James Timothy Norman, 41, of Jackson, Mississippi, and Terica Ellis, 36, of Memphis, Tennessee, for the offenses of conspiracy to {commit|dedicate|devote} {murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire|murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire}, {resulting in|leading to} death. The grand jury {also|likewise} charged Norman and Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam, 42, of St. Louis, Missouri, with one count of conspiracy to {commit|dedicate|devote} wire and mail {fraud|scams}. Federal {complaints|grievances|problems} and arrest warrants were {previously|formerly} {issued|provided|released} for Norman and Ellis, who were both {arrested|apprehended|detained|jailed} {earlier|previously} {this week|today}.
According to the indictment and other court {documents|files}, Norman conspired with Terica Ellis and others to {use|utilize} {a facility|a center} of interstate commerce, {namely|specifically|particularly}, {a cellular telephone|a cell phone|a cellular phone|a wireless telephone}, to {commit|dedicate|devote} a murder-for-hire in exchange for United States currency, in {violation|infraction|offense} of Title 18, United States Code, {Section|Area} 1958. In 2014, Norman {obtained|acquired|got} a $450,000 life {insurance|insurance coverage} policy on his 20-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery, on which Norman was the sole {beneficiary|recipient}. In the days leading up to Montgomery’s murder, Ellis, {an exotic dancer|a stripper} {residing|living} in Memphis, Tennessee, {communicated|interacted} with Montgomery and {informed|notified} him that she was {planning|preparing} to be in St. Louis. On March 13, 2016, the day {before|prior to} Montgomery’s murder, Norman flew to St. Louis, Missouri from his {home|house} in Los Angeles, California. On March 14, 2016, Ellis and Norman {communicated|interacted} {using|utilizing} {temporary|short-term|momentary|short-lived} phones {activated|triggered} that day. Ellis {also|likewise} {used|utilized} the {temporary|short-term|momentary|short-lived} phone to {communicate|interact} with Montgomery and {learn|discover} his physical {location|place|area} for the {purpose|function} of {luring|enticing|drawing|tempting} Montgomery outside. {Immediately|Instantly|Right away} after {learning|discovering|finding out} Montgomery’s {location|place|area}, Ellis {placed|put|positioned} a call to Norman. On March 14, 2016, at {approximately|roughly|around} 8:02 p.m., Montgomery was {killed|eliminated} by {gunfire|shooting} at 3964 Natural Bridge {Avenue|Opportunity} in the City of St. Louis. Ellis’s phone {location|place|area} {information|info|details} {places|puts|positions} her in the {vicinity|area} of the murder at the time of the {homicide|murder}. {Immediately|Instantly|Right away} following Montgomery’s murder, Ellis {placed|put|positioned} a call to Norman {and then|and after that} {began|started} {traveling|taking a trip} to Memphis, Tennessee. In the days after the murder, Ellis {deposited|transferred} over $9,000 in {cash|money} into {various|different|numerous} {bank accounts|checking account|savings account}. On March 18, 2016, Norman {contacted|got in touch with|called} the life {insurance|insurance coverage} {company|business} in {an attempt|an effort} to {collect|gather} on the life {insurance|insurance coverage} policy he {had|had actually} {obtained|acquired|gotten} on his nephew.
The indictment {alleges|declares} that {prior|previous} to Montgomery’s murder, Norman conspired with Waiel Yaghnam, his {insurance|insurance coverage} {agent|representative}, to fraudulently {obtain|acquire|get} a life {insurance|insurance coverage} policy on Montgomery. {Beginning|Starting} in October of 2014, Norman and Yaghnam {submitted|sent} {three|3} {separate|different} life {insurance|insurance coverage} applications, all {containing|including|consisting of} {numerous|various|many} {false|incorrect} {statements|declarations} {regarding|concerning|relating to} Montgomery’s {income|earnings}, net worth, {medical history|case history}, {employment|work}, and {family|household} background. In the life {insurance|insurance coverage} policy that {ultimately|eventually} {issued|provided|released}, Norman {obtained|acquired|got} a $200,000 policy, {as well as|in addition to|along with} $200,000 {accidental|unintentional|unexpected} death rider that would {payout|payment} {in the event that|in case|on the occasion that} Montgomery {died|passed away} of something {other than|besides|aside from} natural causes, and a $50,000 10 year-term rider that would {pay out|pay} if Montgomery {died|passed away} within {10 years|ten years} of the policy’s issuance in 2014.
The arrests of Norman and Ellis {are part of|belong to|become part of} Operation LeGend which is a federal {partnership|collaboration} with {local|regional} {law enforcement|police} to {address|deal with|attend to|resolve} the {increase|boost} in {homicides|murders} and violent {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, {one of|among} the youngest {fatalities|deaths|casualties} {during|throughout} a record-breaking year of {{homicides|murders} and shootings|shootings and {homicides|murders}}. {Additional|Extra} federal {agents|representatives} were {assigned|designated|appointed} to the operation from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, {{Firearms|Guns} and {Explosives|Dynamites}|{Explosives|Dynamites} and {firearms|guns}}, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The St. Louis Metropolitan {Police|Authorities|Cops} Department {Homicide|Murder} {Section|Area} and Federal Bureau of {Investigation|Examination} are {investigating|examining} these {current|present|existing} charges.
If {convicted|founded guilty} of the conspiracy to {commit|dedicate|devote} {murder-for-hire or murder-for-hire|murder-for-hire or murder-for-hire}, {resulting in|leading to} death, the {penalty|charge} is life {imprisonment|jail time} or death and a fine of $250,000; and conspiracy to {commit|dedicate|devote} wire and mail {fraud|scams} {carries|brings} {a maximum|an optimum} {penalty|charge} of {20 years|twenty years} in {prison|jail} and a fine of $250,000.