Jeal Sutherland, a 57-year-old resident of Colonie, New York, has pleaded guilty to charges related to a murder-for-hire plot targeting a man in the Capital Region. The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to Sutherland's plea agreement and an earlier criminal complaint, between November 2024 and January 2025, he used his cell phone to orchestrate the murder of a man who shares a child with Sutherland’s former partner. As part of this scheme, Sutherland agreed to forgive a debt owed by the person hired for the murder. Additionally, he planned to pay an undercover FBI agent—whom he believed was a hog farmer—for using a Pennsylvania farm where pigs would dispose of the victim's body.
Sutherland also admitted that in late January 2025, he instructed another individual to place a dead Canada goose on the doorstep of the intended victim’s mother. The bird had a threatening note stuffed in its beak at Sutherland’s direction.
The intended victim remained unharmed as authorities arrested Sutherland on January 27, 2025. He has been detained since then.
United States Attorney Sarcone commented: “Jeal Sutherland hatched a vicious plot to kill a romantic rival and intimidate his victim’s family. When members of the FBI and my office learned of Sutherland’s plans, they acted quickly and did not rest until Sutherland was brought to justice.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli added: “Mr. Sutherland’s diabolical plot intended to violently end a man's life and intimidate his family. Thanks to the swift actions taken by FBI Albany and our law enforcement partners, that plan never came to fruition and Mr. Sutherland was quickly arrested and remains in custody."
Sutherland could face up to 10 years in prison along with fines up to $250,000 when sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on September 22, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force with help from the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian are prosecuting this case.
