A Fresno man convicted of a murder-for-hire scheme was recently sentenced to a three-year prison term. Daljit Singh Multani was convicted earlier this year based on the testimony of a police informant. The informant had captured Multani on tape asking the informant to kill Multani’s former business partner.

Multani ultimately backed out of the murder plot and specifically told the informant not to kill the former partner. Multani even asked for his money back.

The sentence could have resulted in a term of probation or a sentence of up to nine years in state prison. Even though the victim requested the court to impose the maximum nine year term, the judge chose the three year term based on the fact that Multani had backed out of the scheme.

Based on the time credits he has built up by spending time in the Fresno County Jail prior to trial and sentencing, Multani is eligible for immediate release except for one problem. Due to his conviction, he is subject to deportation and is being held while he waits for an immigration hearing.

At sentencing, Multani expressed his remorse and apologized to the victim, stating the victim “was my good friend.” Despite the apology the victim has expressed fear for his safety if and when Multani is released from custody. The informant has also expressed such a concern.

Multani’s attorney states he is satisfied with the sentence and thinks it was fair. Even so, he may continue to try to clear Multani’s record due to the immigration issue. The prosecutor, who asked for the maximum nine year sentence, was not available for comment.

Murder-for-hire is a serious felony with implications for a long prison sentence and immigration consequences for non-U.S. citizens even if the murder is ultimately canceled. Someone accused of such a crime needs the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney who will thoroughly investigate all the facts of the case. The attorney will aggressively explore all possible defenses to the charge.