Post Falls man pleads guilty to murder-for-hire

COEUR d'ALENE — A 55-year-old Post Falls man pleaded guilty on Tuesday in two related cases to use of interstate facilities in the commission of murder for hire and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

On Aug. 18, 2015, Darin Kyle Taylor was indicted for the federal drug charge.

On Dec. 4, 2015, Taylor waived his right to be indicted by grand jury and agreed to be charged in federal court with murder for hire.

According to the plea agreements, on June 17 and June 30, 2015, the Idaho State Police worked with a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Taylor at his Post Falls, residence.

On July 1, 2015, Idaho State Police detectives served a search warrant at Taylor’s residence and seized methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, cash and firearms.

On Aug. 19, 2015, the day after Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug charges, Taylor met with a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Taylor solicited this ATF confidential informant to murder another person, promising to pay cash. Taylor was arrested on the federal drug charge shortly after his conversation and has been in federal custody since.

The murder-for-hire charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, supervised release up to three years and a maximum fine of $250,000. The methamphetamine charge is punishable by not less than five years and no more than 40 years in prison, supervised release of not less than four years, and a maximum fine of $5 million.

Sentencing is set for March 1, 2016, before Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene.

The cases were investigated by the Idaho State Police, Drug Enforcement Administration and the ATF.