Waukesha County murder-for-hire plot, man gets 23 years in prison
The Brief
A Waukesha County man was found guilty at trial for his role in what prosecutors described as a murder-for-hire plot.
Brendt Johannsen was accused of conspiring to have his ex-fiancee killed.
A second man charged in the case is scheduled to go to trial in January.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Waukesha County man was sentenced on Thursday to 23 years in prison for his role in what prosecutors described as a murder-for-hire plot.
Local perspective
Brendt Johannsen, 49, was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the case. He was found guilty at trial on both counts last year. In addition to prison time, he was sentenced to 23 years of extended supervision.
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Johannsen concocted the plan with 29-year-old Nicholas Blandon while the two were in jail, according to prosecutors. Blandon pleaded no contest in January to theft of movable property and was sentenced to probation.
The backstory
Court filings said a Waukesha police detective was informed in late June 2024 that an inmate had information regarding a plan by Johannsen to kill his ex-fiancee.
The complaint said the inmate told authorities he heard a conversation between Johannsen and Blandon. While the inmate could not remember the specifics, he "knew it involved giving information on the location of a female." The inmate added that another inmate told him that Johannsen had paid or planned to pay Blandon $20,000 to kill the woman.
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A second inmate told investigators the plan to kill Johannsen's ex-fiancee had been going on for about 40 days, per the complaint.
Detectives interviewed Blandon. In that conversation, the complaint states Blandon said he didn't know anything about a plan to kill Johannsen's ex-fiancee and claimed he and Johannsen "never talk."
Prosecutors said law enforcement searched Blandon's jail cell and found a piece of paper with the ex-fiancee's name on it. When Blandon was asked about it, he said he was "trying to get money for his family," and claimed Johannsen only wanted to "scare her."
Blandon went on to say, per the complaint, that the plan was for him to go into the ex-fiancee's vehicle and "'do petty (expletive)' like take her purse." He said he "wrote down fake things" to make it seem like he would go through with the plan. He also claimed Johannsen never told him he wanted the woman killed.
When asked about the $20,000 check, court filings said Blandon told detectives a friend picked it up and "all the money was spent."
The Source
Information in this report is from the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
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