Rhode Island man pleads guilty to sex crimes and murder plot

A sex offender named Chander J. Cardente has pleaded guilty to serious charges involving a 12-year-old girl. The U.S. Attorney announced this on Thursday. The 30-year-old was convicted for enticing a minor and a murder-for-hire plot. Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom said he will be sentenced on April 23 and is currently being held without bail. Cardente had a previous conviction for child molestation in Rhode Island. This required him to register as a sex offender. Court records reveal he contacted the girl in 2021, posing as a 17-year-old. He met her near her school and sexually abused her several times. While in jail, Cardente plotted to kill the girl. He spoke on the phone to someone about wanting her dead because she could testify against him. He even offered $200 and equipment worth $1,500 for the murder. Various law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security and local police, investigated the case. More updates are expected as the story develops.