Maine Man Allegedly Agreed to Go to NY in Murder-for-Hire Plot

A Maine man is facing charges for his alleged participation in a murder-for-hire scheme with an undercover FBI agent.

Who is the Suspect?

Hyunkook Korsiak, 41, of Augusta, Maine was arrested in Tarrytown, New York on Wednesday, where he had traveled to prepare for the murder. At the time he was taken into custody, he was found in possession of two AR-15 rifles and two 9MM semi-automatic pistols. He also had a bullet resistant vest, hundreds of rounds of various caliber ammunition, a latex mask, rifle scopes, high-capacity magazines, and latex gloves.

What Was Involved in the Murder-for-Hire Scheme?

According to the United States Attorney's Office from the Southern District of New York, Korsiak became the subject of an undercover sting after communications he sent expressing his desire to kill someone for money were intercepted by the Bureau of Prisons. An undercover FBI agent reached out to Korsiak, with an offer to pay him $50,000 if he would travel to New York City and kill a fictitious businessman.

Over the past couple of months, Korsiak has met with the undercover FBI agent in both New York and Boston, as they hatched their plan to kill the imaginary target, who Korsiak was told would be staying at a Midtown Manhattan hotel. During those meetings, Korsiak explained his plan, which included the use of an AR-15 rifle and a 9MM pistol, both of which he said he owned. He asked his contact to provide silencers and a latex mask, so he wouldn't be recognized. He told the undercover agent that he planned to shoot the victim from inside his car and would use a police uniform to evade capture.

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said in a media release about the arrest:

As alleged, the defendant was willing to travel over three hundred miles in order to fulfill his depraved desire to be paid for taking another human's life. The FBI will not tolerate such acts of violence, and any individual willing to cold heartedly kill another person will be made to face the consequences in the criminal justice system.

 

What Charges Does Korsiak Face?

Korsiak is charged with one count of murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. In 2017, he had a federal felony conviction for theft from a licensed firearms dealer.