Lower Merion Man Gets 40 To 80 Years In Murder For Hire Plot

LOWER MERION, PA — A Lower Merion man will spend up to 80 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot.

Joseph Lee Wesley, 40, of Lower Merion, was sentenced to 40 to 80 years in prison after being convicted by a jury of attempted murder, solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

According to the Delaware County Daily Times, Wesley orchestrated a December 2016 shooting that seriously hurt a woman and man in Norristown.

The woman was cooperating with police as part of a drug and gun investigation into Wesley.

Two other men, Cesar A. Morales, of Darby, and Darelle Bean, of Brookhaven, pleaded guilty in 2018 to being involved in the plot.

Both were convicted and sentenced on charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and firearm crimes.

Bean was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison and Morales 30 to 60 years.

Wesley hired Bean to kill the woman, Bean then hired a Morales to actually carry out the shooting, the Pottstown Mercury reports.