Dania Beach Man Accused Of Plotting To Have Family Killed
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBMiami) – A Ft. Lauderdale businessman accused of orchestrating a plot to kill his own family, making threats against the president and stockpiling bomb making materials made his initial appearance before a judge Tuesday morning.
"The court is concerned with his alleged willingness to hire a hitman to kill everyone in his family including his own child," said Broward Circuit Court Judge John Hurley.
Jason Simione, 39, faces a host of charges including trying to hire a hit man.
"It says that you approached one of your employees from El Salvador requesting his help to find someone to kill your wife, her mother, her brother and your own child," said Hurley after reading Simione's arrest report. "It says you offered $150,000 for these deaths to occur."
According to the report, Simione said he didn't care if the hit man raped his wife before he killed her.
In addition to the stockpiling of bomb making materials and weapons, Simione also reportedly prepared his home in case a SWAT team ever tried to take him. "When you first walk in there's body army, tactical vest like swat team would wear, extra magazines and pistols, on each side were high powered rifles," explained BSO Detective Ricky Libman. Bso showed off 68 guns and shotguns they seized from inside his home, including a 50 caliber rifle. They said it was legal for him to have them, but they were concerned because he had made threats in the past. "It says that you've been stock piling fire arms ammunition, bomb making material threating to kill anyone who attempts to arrest you or remove your child," Judge Hurley read from the arrest report.
"Also one of your employees said that he helped install certain materials at your residence in Dania Beach to reinforce the residence, to prevent breaches by law enforcement and kill zones have been set up in case the SWAT teams try to make entry."
Simione's company, Bulldog Equipment LLC, supplies the government and local law enforcement with tactical and assault equipment.
Simione's wife and co-workers said he had been "abusing steroids" and was prone to violent and delusional outbursts.
Simione's attorney, David Bogenschutz, said his client is in the middle of a very combative divorce.
In Megumi Simione' s domestic violence petition she wrote, " "He has stalked me. He is an extremely violent, mentally unstable man and detectives are worried for my safety. He's addicted to steroids and in a rage will do anything. I'm so scared." Regarding their son Jett, she wrote, "The baby who is 9 months old is often left in his truck with no A/C. The baby is in danger. He has threatened the babies life numerous times in front of many people."
Hurley set bond at $5 million.
