Jagninder Singh Boparai, a 48-year-old resident of Manteca, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire plot. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.

Court documents reveal that Boparai conspired with Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 45, from Dublin, and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, from Tracy, to murder an individual referred to as Victim 2. In February 2023, Boparai met with someone he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. However, the supposed hitman was actually a confidential informant working for the FBI. During their meeting, Boparai discussed an initial job involving the assault of another person identified as Victim 1. He offered $6,000 for this task.

In March 2023, Boparai provided the informant with $1,000 as a down payment for the assault on Victim 1. Later on, the informant showed Boparai a staged photo depicting Victim 1 as injured. Satisfied with the image, Boparai mentioned two additional tasks: robbing a business and making someone "disappear."

Boparai then arranged to pay $10,000 as a down payment for the murder of Victim 2. Sandhu supplied Victim 2's address while Boparai instructed that no evidence should remain after the act. He also sought out Victim 2's Facebook profile picture to show to the informant.

On March 24, Sandhu and Birla met with the informant in Manteca and directed them to kill Victim 2 and transport their remains to Mexico in a suitcase. Surveillance observed Boparai present in his car during this meeting.

All three men were arrested on March 31 and are currently held in federal custody. The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI and various local police departments.

Boparai is set for sentencing on May 8, facing up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentence will be determined by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The other two defendants have their status conference scheduled for April 10. They face similar charges but remain presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.