NEWARK, NJ – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for conspiring with Sean Caddle and a longtime accomplice to murder one of Caddle’s associates, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
The defendant, Bomani Africa, 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
As part of the murder scheme, Caddle pleaded guilty to his involvement on Jan. 25, 2022, before Judge Vazquez. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2023.
The following statements were made in court and in the documents filed in this case:
For a payment of thousands of dollars, Caddle solicited another conspirator, George Bratsenis, 74, of Monroe, Connecticut, to commit a murder on Caddle’s behalf. After Bratsenis confirmed his and Africa’s interest in the position, Caddle informed Bratsenis that the target was a long-term associate who had previously worked for Caddle on various political campaigns. Bratsenis then recruited Africa, a longtime accomplice, to the plot.
In the early hours of May 22, 2014, Africa and Bratsenis drove from out of state to the victim’s apartment in Jersey City. Once inside, Africa and Bratsenis stabbed the victim to death, and Bratsenis then set the apartment on fire.
A day after Caddle learned of the murder, he met Bratsenis in the parking lot of a diner in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Caddle paid Bratsenis thousands of dollars in exchange for the murder, and Bratsenis shared a portion of the proceeds with Africa.
Africa was also sentenced to five years of supervised release by Judge Vazquez in addition to his prison term.
On March 24, 2022, Bratsenis pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29, 2023.