'Erase his head from his torso': Iranian, Canadian nationals charged in Maryland murder-for-hire plot
WASHINGTON - A suspected Iranian narcotics trafficker and two Hells Angels members are facing charges and a series of sanctions in connection to a murder-for-hire plot to kill dissidents who fled Iran for the United States, officials say.
Court documents allege that from December 2020 through March 2021, the operation was led by 49-year Naji Sharifi Zindashti, a suspected Iranian drug smuggler, who used an encrypted messaging service to recruit and discuss the gruesome details of the assassinations.
Zindashti’s network, which operates at the direction of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, allegedly recruited Canadian nationals Damion Patrick John Ryan, 43, and Adam Richard Pearson, 29, to carry out the murders of the dissidents who at the time lived in Maryland.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Ryan is a British Columbia-based Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Group member, while Pearson was a Hell’s Angels affiliate.
As alleged in the indictment from the Department of Justice, between December 2020 and January 2021, Zindashti and Ryan communicated about "jobs," "equipment," "tools" and plans to "make some money."
In January 2021, they discussed a job in the United States, with Ryan noting that doing a job in the United States was challenging, but that he "might have someone to do it." That same day he messaged Pearson about a "job" in Maryland.
Pearson allegedly stated, "shooting is probably easiest thing for them," and that he was "on it." Ryan recommended "2 guys go with proper equipment." Pearson said he would encourage the recruits for the job to "shoot [the victim] in the head a lot [to] make example" and that he would tell them "we gotta erase his head from his torso."
The indictment continues that on or about Jan. 30, 2021, Zindashti messaged Ryan on SkyECC seeking an update on the job. Zindashti and Ryan agreed on a $350,000 payment for the "job," in addition to $20,000 to cover expenses. Over the following days officials say information about the would-be victims, including their photographs, and images of a map that highlighted their known addresses, would be sent on the messaging platform.
All three are charged with one count of conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. Pearson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice and one count of possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States.
In addition, the Treasury Department took action against Zindashti’s criminal network that targets Iranian dissidents and activists, and several of his key associates, by prohibiting them from engaging in any transaction or dealing that involves a U.S. person or occurs in the United States.
Zindashti currently resides in Iran. Ryan and Pearson are currently incarcerated in Canada on unrelated offenses.