A Monroe Township man has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for hiring a purported hitman to kill his ex-wife and her daughter, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.

U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger says that 69-year-old Michael Stewart previously pleaded guilty to the crime.

Authorities say that in the summer of 2021, Stewart met with someone to discuss the killing of his ex and her daughter. Stewart said that he would pay for the killings and asked this person to find him a hitman.

Officials say that in October 2021, Stewart met with an undercover agent that he believed to be a hitman. He told that undercover agent that he wanted the daughter killed first, followed by his ex-wife. He provided the “hitman” names, addresses and other information and paid $500 as a partial payment, according to officials.

Stewart was sentenced to 97 months in jail and three years of supervised release.