Apparently, convenience and efficiency are not only guaranteed when engaging in a business deal regarding legal products and services; a web site titled HitmanForHire.net assured these qualities as well. And although many onlookers – including the web site designer who thought it was simply a gag – deemed this web site less than noteworthy, this site was fully committed to murder.
We all know the potential dangers of the internet and to steer clear of strangers, but are we truly prepared for all the consequences that can result in using the web freely? Most of us use the First Amendment for good.
However, there are too many examples of utilizing one’s freedoms for evil, such as hate groups, child pornography, or even a hit-man web site.
When a frightened victim described a $37,000 hit established through HitmanForHire.net, FBI agent Ingerd Sotelo was eager to listen.
Anne Lauren Royston was approached at her place of work in Woodland Hills by a mysterious man clad in black and a woman he described as his wife. The man was bearing a folder full of pictures taken of Royston during various times in her day, along with an email stating, “I want her done by a shot to the head.”
The man then proposed that if Royston could pay the contract before three days had passed, she could have her life. The man also revealed that the hit came from an ex-girlfriend of Royston’s current significant other.
The man was identified as Essam Ahmed Eid, a 51-year-old poker dealer at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Shortly after the investigation began, Eid and the woman identified as his wife, Teresa Engle, had seemingly disappeared, although demands for the owed money continued between Eid and Royston.
Interestingly enough, a similar situation was unraveling in Ireland, also involving Eid. Not only were the computers of a man named P.J. Howard stolen, but both of Howard’s sons brought it to their father’s attention that someone wanted the three of them dead. For 100,000 euros, the contractor would allow them to live.
Eid was arrested in Ireland, following the threats. After Agent Sotelo was alerted of his arrest, federal officials raided Eid’s home, finding a multitude of hit requests and even individuals desiring to assist in murders.
However, despite the active communication on this hit-man web site, Eid was clearly not a professional. There were previous searches on his computer linking to instructions for making silencers from toilet parts and umbrella guns.
After a trial that took nearly two months, Eid was charged with extortion and burglary and sentenced to six years in prison. In my opinion, he got lucky.
Where do we draw the line that says, “That’s enough. You can’t do that,” without diminishing our independence and liberties? That answer still needs a lot of work, but what we can do currently is take extreme and careful responsibility for ourselves. We must honor using freedoms for the well-being of our society and lives, and thus diminish the detriment of abusing our rights.
Rebecca Eisenberg is a senior philosophy major and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
I don’t think anyone argues blackmail or extortion is protected by free speech. I really don’t see how freedom of speech relates to these kill for hire sites at all, much less enough to warrant an article.