Florida inmate planned to use stimulus check to pay hitman to kill federal judge, feds say

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida inmate accused of threatening to hire a hitman to kill a federal judge and his family has pleaded guilty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Investigators said Curtis Brown, 35, was held at the Florida State Prison in Raiford, serving a state sentence, when he sent a handwritten letter on Nov. 30, 2021, to a federal judge’s chambers.

The letter stated that the judge’s “recent refusal to grant warranted relief” gave Brown no other choice but to use his federal stimulus money to pay for someone to kill the judge.

Brown stated that if he could not get to the judge in time, he would settle for a member of the judge’s family.

The DOJ said the letter was signed by Brown and beneath his signature was a statement that the letter should remain confidential or the situation would get worse.

Brown faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not been set yet.