Two Florida Men Plead Guilty In Failed Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Developer’s Estranged WifeJake Grissom Sun, October 18, 2026 at 2:18 PM UTC
FBI (File)Two men pleaded guilty in federal court this week for their roles in a murder-for-hire scheme aimed at killing the estranged wife of a prominent local developer, federal prosecutors announced. Clementa Johnson, 49, of Tallahassee, and Diori Barnard, 49, of Miami, entered their pleas shortly after a jury was selected for their trial.
Two men pleaded guilty in federal court this week for their roles in a murder-for-hire scheme aimed at killing the estranged wife of a prominent local developer, federal prosecutors announced.
Clementa Johnson, 49, of Tallahassee, and Diori Barnard, 49, of Miami, entered their pleas shortly after a jury was selected for their trial. Johnson pleaded guilty Oct. 5 to conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, stalking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Barnard pleaded guilty Oct. 6 to conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, and stalking.
According to court records, the scheme was directed by multimillionaire developer Sergio Pino, who targeted his estranged wife, Tatiana Pino. Investigators said Sergio Pino hired intermediaries who then recruited Johnson, Barnard, and others after previous efforts to kill her had failed.
The group tracked Tatiana Pino before an armed gunman attempted to shoot her outside her home on June 23, 2024. She survived the attack unharmed.
FBI
“For years, Tatiana Pino was subjected to a calculated campaign of stalking, violence, and repeated attempts on her life,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Clementa Johnson and Diori Barnard joined that conspiracy, stalked their intended victim, and helped carry out a plot that culminated in an armed attempt on her life outside her home. Their guilty pleas on the day trial was set to begin bring the final two defendants in this case to account. Our message is simple: no matter how many people are recruited, how much money is offered, or how elaborate the scheme, we will pursue every participant in a murder-for-hire conspiracy and bring them to justice.”
Johnson faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in federal prison, while Barnard faces up to 30 years. A federal district judge will decide their sentences following a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
READ: Two Florida Men Sentenced To Prison For Nearly $900,000 Medicare Pharmacy Scam
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Two Florida Men Plead Guilty In Failed Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Developer’s Estranged Wife
Source: Crime
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