Tuesday, October 26, 2010 Albertan receives 20 years in U.S. prison By KATIE SCHNEIDER, QMI AGENCY Last Updated: October 25, 2010 4:00pm
CALGARY — Conspiring to kidnap and murder for hire has landed a Calgary man a 20-year U.S. prison sentence.
Nicholas Djokich, 59, was sentenced in a Boston courtroom Oct. 18 for conspiring to kidnap and kill former Calgary lawyer Richard DeVries as revenge for what he claimed was a $175 million rip-off.
A statement released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said evidence at the trial showed DeVries had neither defrauded Djokich nor was responsible for any losses.
Djokich was found guilty of both conspiracy to commit kidnaping and conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and along with the 20 years in prison, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Evidence presented during Djokich's trial in May and June, showed that in July 2008, an intermediary asked an ICE informant for his help in kidnapping, extorting money from, and potentially murdering a man in the Bahamas.
Djokich instructed an undercover ICE agent, introduced to him by an informant, that DeVries be killed after the kidnapping.
Three days after their final meeting about the plot, Djokich was arrested.
When reached Monday in the Bahamas where he has lived since 2002, DeVries said the sentence was appropriate.
"When you talk about his intent to kidnap me, and kill me ... I think that's a pretty drastic means we don't promote in society," he said.
DeVries contends he received trust funds in 1999 from the late Calgary businessman William Lenz, dispersed the monies according to Lenz's instructions, and any money lost was from investments gone sour.
The U.S. Attorney's Office asked for a 25-year sentence, but was also pleased with the outcome, said Brandy Donini-Melanson, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"Although we would have preferred that the defendant be sentenced to 25 years, we do believe 20 years is a fair sentence given the defendant's age," she said Monday.
Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of ICE Office of Homeland Security Investigations, said cross border crime is a serious threat to Americans.
"Our goal is not only to see justice served, but to use our unique immigration enforcement authorities to protect law-abiding citizens," he said.
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