Businessman Gets 26 Months For Murder Plot

Businessman James Robert Chase has been sentenced to 26 months in prison and fined for hiring someone to kill a man over a business deal that went sour.

In a sentencing hearing in Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday, the Justice Department said U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge sentenced Chase to prison, two years’ supervised release, 500 hours of community service and court costs.

Chase, 71, has three weeks to surrender to authorities.

In court documents, Chase admitted he offered a man $12,500 to locate and kill Mike Lares, formerly of Coeur d’Alene.

Court records said Chase sold his marine construction business, Chase Enterprises, to Lares in 1992. In 1994, Lares declared bankruptcy and Chase had to repurchase the business at a substantial loss.

Court records said Chase paid a Nevada resident to locate Lares and at a later meeting offered him another $10,000 to kill Lares.

The man went to authorities and cooperated in an undercover operation against Chase.

Court records said the FBI faked a photo that showed Lares shot to death and the informant taped Chase as saying, “that’s what I wanted.”

Chase admitted the charges in an April court hearing.