Philadelphia man guilty of plotting to kill NJ prosecutor and other officials

🔴 A Philadelphia man is convicted in a revenge-murder plot; faces life in prison

🔴 He planned to kill a NJ prosecutor and other government officials

🔴 The officials had a hand in putting him behind bars for a separate crime

A Philadelphia man has been convicted for plotting to kill a New Jersey prosecutor and other government officials.

Stephen Smink, 62, was found guilty on Aug. 15 of conspiring with others to kill Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, First Assistant Prosecutor Harold Shapiro, two Superior Court judges, and an assistant prosecutor who were involved in his 2014 arson charge conviction.

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“This defendant planned to kill public servants for doing their jobs and putting him behind bars for crimes he previously committed. State Police and prison officals found out about the plan and interceded before anyone was harmed. He now faces a lengthy prison sentence for his violent scheme,” New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said in a written statement.

Smink, the former owner of Pike Lanes, a Bridgeton bowling alley (now named Campani's Legacy Lanes), was previously sentenced to serve 15 years in state prison for orchestrating a plan to burn down rival bowling alley, Loyle Lanes Bowling Center in Vineland, according to authorities. Two Philadelphia residents accused of starting the fire also pleaded guilty.

In April 2019, while Smink was serving his sentence in Northern State Prison in Newark, the New Jersey State Police Central Security Unit received information from the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness that Smink had hired a cooperating witness in 2017 to help him carry out the murder-for-hire plot.

According to the investigation, Smink hired a member of the Latin Kings gang, who was also in jail, to carry out and execute the murders. However, the Latin Kings member died before the murder plot could be carried out.

Smink then contracted with the cooperating witness to find a hitman as Smink oversaw the transfer of sports memorabilia to pay for the hits, authorities said.

In a meeting with an undercover officer, Smink said, “If everybody was together, wipe the whole place out and kill everybody it just looks like somebody making an assault, a gangs meeting. If somebody shot up the place, it looks like the gang getting retribution.”

Smink was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and five counts of attempted murder, all in the first degree, and fourth-degree conspiracy to transport weapons and transporting weapons.

He faces a minimum of 30 years to life in prison when Smink is sentenced on Sept. 26.

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