A Florida man was arrested on Monday after authorities caught him trying to hire a hitman from El Salvador to kill members of his family, including his wife and baby, Fox News reported.
Jason Dennis Simione, 39, reportedly wanted his wife, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and nine-month-old son dead. He was charged with three counts of solicitation to commit first degree murder, threatening to discharge a destructive device, and child abuse due materials discovered in his home -- threaded galvinized pipe caps, nails, gunpowder, wire, and batteries.
Authorities also found guns and ammunition in his residence, including a .50 caliber sniper rifle and 70,000 rounds. Broward Court Judge John Hurley set Simione's bail at $5 million.
"The court is concerned with his alleged willingness to hire a hit man to kill everyone in his family, including his own child," Hurley said.
Susan Brown, a divorce lawyer for Simione, said the guns and ammunition found at his house is not concerning.
"It sounds all dramatic, but that's ridiculous,'' Brown said. "That's like a jeweler having jewelry in the house or a lawyer having law books.''
Brown is not working as Simione's lawyer in this case. Instead, he will be represented by Dave Bogenshutz, a high-profile criminal defense attorney.
Simione is the president of Bulldog Tactical Equipment LLC, a supplier of tactical and assault equipment. He allegedly approached an employee of his, originally from El Salvador, and asked him if he knew anyone from his country that would commit murder and offered $150,000. He reportedly wanted the hitman to murder his family members if he didn't receive custody of his 9-month-old son following a divorce from his wife, Megumi "May" Simione.
Earlier in July, Mrs. Simione filed for divorce and temporary injunction, accusing her husband of using steroids that made him delusional, paranoid, and violent. In the arrest warrant, it said that Jason often referred to his employees with racial slurs and said that President Barack Obama should be killed because of his race.
"He's boisterous and loud," Ron Wood, Simione's first cousin, said. "He's an open book and he has no filter...He's insensitive about Hispanics and if they don't speak English, he will make comments. He loves America,"
