Final co-conspirator in James Henrikson murder-for-hire schemes gets 8 years in prison

Spokane resident Todd Bates on Tuesday became the last co-conspirator in James Henrikson’s murder-for-hire plots to be sentenced, receiving eight years in prison for his role in soliciting a would-be Chicago hitman.

Bates, 43, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in September. He flew to Chicago in 2013 with Henrikson’s money and at his direction to hire a man nicknamed “The Wiz” to kill Jed McClure, according to statements he made to U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza, who has overseen the case. McClure had done business with Henrikson on the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota and publicly accused him of fraud, drawing Henrikson’s anger, according to investigators.

“The Wiz” took the money from Bates and never acted on the request to kill McClure, investigators say.

Henrikson is serving multiple life sentences after a jury found him guilty of ordering the deaths of Kristopher “K.C.” Clarke in North Dakota in 2012, and Doug Carlile in Spokane in 2013. Timothy Suckow, Robert Delao, Robby Wahrer and Lazaro Pesina have all been sentenced for their roles in the schemes as well.

Henrikson is being held at a high-security penitentiary in Florence, Colorado, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

Bates will serve five years’ probation upon his release from prison, according to the terms of his sentence handed down Tuesday by Mendoza.