Hired hitman sentenced to 3 years for offering to put 'snitch' in a coma

A 22-year-old man from Hay River, N.W.T., was sentenced to three years in prison for conspiring with a Yellowknife drug dealer to hospitalize someone they believed to be a snitch.

Ryley Moore was arrested as part of the RCMP's Green Manalishi investigation, which targeted high level drug dealers in the city. Officers intercepted and monitored Moore's telephone calls and text messages with convicted kingpin Todd Dube.

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Moore, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, has been in custody since July 2016.

According to the sentencing decision by Justice Shannon Smallwood, Dube called Moore in March 2016 to talk about dealing with a "snitch."

Moore was heard saying he and his "boys" knew where the man was and they were "ready to do something." Dube asked Moore how much money he wanted, and Moore replied, "I don't know, it depends, like if you want 'em blasted?"

In a subsequent call, Dube offered Moore $5,000 to hospitalize the man, telling Moore he wanted him "in the hospital, like in a coma."

Moore later texted Dube asking, "What would you pay to body him, my boys are itching to catch one bro."

Dube later asked Moore for the target's location, saying he had someone who could take care of the man immediately, but he would still pay Moore for the information. After Moore provided the location, the RCMP alerted Edmonton police and they arrested the targeted man on an outstanding warrant.

'Chaotic' childhood, 20 convictions

In Justice Smallwood's decision released in December, she acknowledged that Moore had a "chaotic" childhood and frequently witnessed violence in his home. He also spent time living in foster homes.

Moore, who is Métis, began using marijuana when he was 11 or 12 years old, and by 14 was using cocaine daily.

"I have no doubt from what I have heard that his involvement with drugs has led him to where he is today — down a violent path which will only continue unless he makes some changes to his life," Smallwood said.

During the sentencing hearing, Moore was repentant, telling the judge that offering to do the hit was "one of the biggest mistakes in my life."

Moore has 20 previous convictions, including five violent offences.

Smallwood said that when he planned the assault with Dube, Moore was on probation and had only been out of jail for a couple weeks following his most recent conviction for assault.

In reference to the conversations between Dube and Moore, Smallwood said in her decision that the "inescapable conclusion" is that Moore was offering to kill the man.

"Mr. Moore initiated this discussion, was willing to do what was requested by Mr. Dube, and subsequently stated his willingness to go even further than what Mr. Dube had proposed."

Smallwood sentenced Moore to three years in prison — the same sentence Dube received for that charge.

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With credit for time served, Moore has about one year left on his sentence.

"Good luck, Mr. Moore," Smallwood said.