Illinois Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Murder-for-Hire Scheme

A northern Illinois woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trying to hire someone to kill her ex-boyfriend.

The Kane County State's Attorney's Office says 28-year-old Maricela Arciga of Aurora was sentenced late Friday. A jury convicted her last summer.

Prosecutors say Arciga told an acquaintance in September 2010 that she wanted to find someone to kill her ex-boyfriend. The acquaintance went to Aurora police.

Police arranged for an undercover U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent to meet with Arciga, who paid the agent $200 and agreed during a second meeting to pay another $1,800 to have her ex-boyfriend shot to death.

Arciga was stopped and arrested by Aurora police after the second meeting. They say she admitted trying to arrange the killing.