Houston County man guilty in solicitation of murder plot

TYLER – 44-year-old Reynaldo Campos, Jr., of Grapeland, has pleaded guilty in Tyler federal court to murder for hire. According to the indictment, on Feb. 9, Campos contacted an individual who he believed was a hitman, but who was in fact an undercover federal agent, and solicited the “hitman” to murder a former associate of Campos — claiming the intended victim had either stolen drugs from him or owed him money. Campos discussed the intended murder with the agent on multiple occasions over the next several weeks. On April 8, Campos and his girlfriend, Robin Pittman, traveled together from Houston County to Tyler to discuss the murder, to provide the “hitman” with a handgun to be used for the murder, and to provide the “hitman” with information about the intended victim.

On April 13, Campos and Pittman again traveled together from Houston County to Tyler to discuss the murder and to provide the “hitman” with approximately one gallon of Phenylacetone/P2P, which is a chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, and a shotgun as partial payment for the murder of the intended victim. Campos and Pittman were indicted April 21. Pittman pleaded guilty August 9 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing. Campos faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation.