Warrant issued in murder-for-hire plot

Jul. 2—PLYMOUTH — An arrest warrant was issued Monday for the alleged mastermind behind a murder-for-hire plot in retaliation for a shooting on South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, several years ago.

Dashawn William Nelson, 29, of New Herbane Street, Kingston, is wanted on charges of criminal solicitation to commit criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy to engage in criminal homicide and several firearm offenses, according to court records.

Court records say Nelson worked with Gregory Thomas Warren, 41, of Bronx, New York City, and Gregory Duclaire, 40, of Plymouth, to kill Elijah Jones, 27, of South Grant Street, Wilkes-Barre.

Investigators with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office and Luzerne County detective division suspect Jones was targeted in retaliation of shooting at a business Nelson owned on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, court records say.

The name of the business is not listed in court records.

The murder plot was thwarted when Duclaire was apprehended on state parole violations by the Fugitive Apprehension Search Team with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Plymouth police, Wilkes-Barre police and U.S. Marshals in January.

Nelson initially offered $10,000 for the hit on Jones but dropped the price to $5,000, and provided a 9mm handgun, court records say.

Warren was captured by U.S. Marshals in New York City in April and has been extradited to Luzerne County where he faces charges of criminal conspiracy to engage in criminal homicide.

Duclaire also faces a charge of criminal conspiracy to engage in criminal homicide.

Warren and Duclaire remain jailed without bail at the county correctional facility.