A Florida man has been found guilty of attempting to have multiple witnesses, including his family members, murdered while he was being held in federal custody. Anthony Frederick Brillante II, 36, was convicted of a chilling plot to murder the very people involved in his cyber harassment case, including a federal prosecutor and an FBI agent who worked on his case.
Details of the Crime
Brillante, who was initially facing cyber harassment charges after sending violent threats to his cousin and her family, escalated his criminal actions while in custody at the Miami Federal Detention Center in late 2023. His harassment of his family began in 2021 when he sent tens of thousands of threatening phone calls and text messages to his cousin, her 12-year-old daughter, and others in her family. These messages, sent from spoofed phone numbers, included explicit threats to their lives over a 15-month period.
While awaiting trial, Brillante sought to eliminate those who could testify against him. After learning that his cousin and her family were going to be called as witnesses in his upcoming trial, Brillante took matters into his own hands. In an attempt to prevent their testimony, he made arrangements to have these relatives, as well as two others from Texas, murdered.
The Murder Plot Uncovered
The plot was foiled when Brillante spoke to a person he trusted, asking them to transfer $30,000 to a cooperating witness — a person who had connections to Brillante’s cellmate. Brillante allegedly told the individual that the money was meant to pay someone to kill his relatives, who were going to testify against him. The chilling plan included not only the murder of his family members but also the assassination of the federal prosecutor and the FBI special agent involved in his case.
In a critical turn, an undercover FBI agent posing as a potential hitman recorded a conversation with Brillante in which he confirmed the murder-for-hire plot. Brillante stated that he had already paid $30,000 for the hit and agreed to pay an additional $10,000 to have the two federal officials killed. The undercover agent then arranged for two transfers of $20,000 to a cooperating witness as part of the deal.
Brillante’s Conviction and Sentencing
On July 11, Brillante was found guilty of attempted murder of a federal employee, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, use of interstate commerce in the commission of murder-for-hire, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. Federal prosecutors highlighted the severity of Brillante’s actions, noting that he not only targeted his own family but also sought to eliminate key figures in the legal system.
Brillante is scheduled for sentencing on October 1, 2024, for his crimes, which could result in a lengthy prison sentence given the gravity of his offenses.
Brillante’s case serves as a disturbing example of the lengths to which some individuals will go to avoid legal consequences, even resorting to violent and extreme measures against their own family and federal law enforcement. As he awaits sentencing, this case remains a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by individuals who are willing to engage in violence to protect themselves from facing justice.
