Chelmsford Man Arraigned in Alleged Plan to Hire Hit Man to Injure or Kill Wife

A Chelmsford man has been arraigned in connection with an alleged scheme to hire someone to injure or kill his wife Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Chelmsford Police Deputy Chief James Spinney announced Tuesday.

Andrew Gordon, 51, of Chelmsford was arraigned Sept. 22 in Lowell District Court after being arrested in Chelmsford on Sept. 19 as a result of a joint investigation by Chelmsford Police, State Police assigned to the District Attorney’s Office and Tyngsboro Police. He was charged with soliciting a felony, attempted assault and battery, intimidation of a witness and violating a restraining order.

Lowell District Court Judge Neil Hourihan ordered the defendant held without bail. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Oct. 21.

“This defendant’s alleged actions escalated quickly from property damage to potentially severe violence. These alleged actions affected the safety and property of several people, including total strangers,” District Attorney Ryan said in a statement released Tuesday. “Thanks to rapid intervention by Chelmsford Police, Tyngsboro Police and MA State Police, this alleged plan was interrupted.”

According to authorities, the defendant allegedly attempted to pay $20,000 in August for an attack on his wife to an undercover MA State Trooper posing as a hit man. The plan initially called for her murder, authorities said, but in subsequent discussions the defendant is alleged to have asked the man to beat her so she could not appear at a scheduled court hearing.

“This could have been a very dangerous situation,” Deputy Chief Spinney said. “Working in cooperation with Tyngsboro Police and other agencies we were able to avert more trouble very effectively.”

During June and July, authorities allege that the defendant learned his wife was seeking a divorce. In following weeks, the woman’s car was vandalized by deflating or damaging the tires and other means. Additional acts of vandalism involved vehicles owned by nearby residents.

Authorities allege that the defendant committed the vandalism, as well as allegedly watching the woman’s apartment complex from nearby woods with a ski mask and binoculars.

These charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The prosecutor assigned to handle this case is Assistant District Attorney Graham Van Epps of the Special Investigations Unit. The Victim Witness Advocate is Kathleen Keefe.