2 Children, Including 1-Year-Old, on Hit List Allegedly Paid for by U.S. Army Sgt.

Jeremiah Peikert, 30, has been charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to injure a minor, per authorities

• Jeremiah Peikert allegedly helped make payments for his brother's "murder-for-hire plot," police say

• A witness who allegedly agreed to help with the plan informed the alleged victim, who then notified police, according to an arrest warrant

• Peikert's brother, Joshua Peikert, allegedly aimed to have a 29-year-old woman and two children killed, per the warrant

A U.S. Army sergeant has been arrested and charged with conspiring to commit a murder after Connecticut police intervened in an alleged “murder-for-hire” plot that included two minors among the alleged victims, authorities say.

Jeremiah Peikert, 30, was arrested on Thursday, May 2, months after his brother’s former cellmate notified a 29-year-old woman about an alleged plan to kill her, along with her 23-year-old boyfriend, and her daughters - a 1-year-old and a 10-year-old, according to an arrest warrant reviewed by PEOPLE.

Peikert has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor in connection with the 2022 accusations, per the warrant.

In October 2022, Connecticut State Police began investigating a "suspicious incident" at a correctional facility in Montville, Conn., the warrant states. A prior inmate at the facility had notified the 29-year-old woman in a handwritten letter that “detailed a possible ‘murder for hire’ plot,” targeting her and the other alleged victims.

The former inmate, referred to only as a “Witness” in the report, told police in a statement that Joshua Peikert was his cellmate when he “disclosed” to him that they wanted the alleged victims killed, per the warrant.

Joshua, 31, is identified in the document as Jeremiah’s brother.

“I told Josh that I knew a few people that could have that taken care of for him,” the witness said in his statement detailed in the warrant.

Joshua allegedly agreed to pay approximately $10,000 for the killing of each of the victims, the witness said.

Joshua allegedly wrote down details for the witness for the commission of the crime, per the warrant. This included the address of the alleged victims and information about where they would be asleep in the home and where to find a spare key.

“At no time did I have any intention of hiring a hitman or committing any violence toward [the victims],” the witness wrote in his statement but admitted to agreeing on a $250 payment before the commission of the alleged crime.

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The witness alleged that he received the money from Joshua’s brother – and police determined through their investigation that Jeremiah had made payments to the witness in July 2022, per the warrant.  

Authorities also traced phone records where Jeremiah is heard discussing the payment with the witness and admitting to the witness that he sent the money, per the warrant. In separate phone calls, Jeremiah is heard telling Joshua that he had made the payment.

On Dec. 19, 2023, following an interrogation, Jeremiah alleged in a statement that he did make the payments and was allegedly aware that the payment would be to hurt the 29-year-old woman, the warrant states. He said in the statement he was not aware that children were involved in the plan and that he "reluctantly" helped his brother.

Related: Texas Car Dealer and 2 Ex-Marines Face Life for Murder-for-Hire Plot to Cover Up Salesman's Affair

He further alleged that Joshua had "displayed violent tendencies, even growing up" and had allegedly manipulated him, per the warrant.

Joshua was arrested on April 1 in connection with the alleged offense, and has been charged with murder and risk of injury to a child, according to online records.

Joshua obtained a lawyer and invoked his right to remain silent when police attempted to interview him, the warrant states.

Both Joshua and Jeremiah are being held on $500,000 bond. Plea information was not immediately available for either of the brothers. Online records did not indicate if Jeremiah had retained a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

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