United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging TAMMY L. COPELAND, age 34, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, with the use of interstate facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire.

A Criminal Complaint was filed on February 17, 2010, alleging that COPELAND attempted to hire someone to kill her ex-husband who lives in Canada. The indictment alleges that COPELAND used a federally insured credit union and a telephone, and caused another to use a telephone, facilities of interstate commerce, with the intent that the murder be committed in violation of Louisiana law (Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:30.1—second degree murder; 14:28.1—solicitation for murder; and 14:27 and 14:30:2—attempted second degree murder) as consideration for the receipt of $5,000 in United States currency.

If convicted, COPELAND could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Piedrahita.