Hitman involved in murder-for-hire plot of former New Jersey state political consultant sentenced to 20 years in prison

A man who confessed to assisting in a murder-for-hire plot masterminded by a former New Jersey political consultant was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison.

Bomani Africa appeared in federal district court for sentencing in the 2014 death of Michael Galdieri, the son of a former state senator, after pleading guilty just over a year ago.

Prosecutors say Africa and George Brazenis stabbed Galdieri and then set fire to his Jersey City apartment in exchange for cash at the request of political consultant Sean Caddle. Brazenis and Caddle have both pleaded guilty to a case that has stunned New Jersey politicians, but no verdict has yet been issued.

A number of questions remain unanswered in this case: Why did Caddle want Galdieri, his former friend, dead? Why was he given house arrest after pleading guilty last year? And was the guilty plea linked to other investigations?

Revelations about the Galdieri murder have rocked political circles in New Jersey, a state notorious for dozens of allegations of political corruption over the past three decades, as well as scams like the 2013 Bridgegate scandal involving traffic jams deliberately created near the busy George Washington Bridge to political retribution.

Caddle was well known in northern New Jersey politics, with past clients including current Democratic US Senator Bob Menendez and former State Democratic Senator Raymond Lesniak.

Africa, already imprisoned in Rhode Island, was sentenced to ten years in prison last week for a pair of robberies in Connecticut.

Last year, Bratzenis was sentenced to eight years in prison for his part in one such robbery.

Brazenis and Cadle are due to be sentenced in the murder case next month.