An officer at a Prince William County jail was arrested Wednesday in connection with the murder-for-hire plot involving a Woodbridge man and his stepson, and police say the plot involved setting the victim up to be sexually assaulted.

Continue reading

Prince William County Police say that Ralph Lester Justice, 61, of Woodbridge, allegedly conspired with Michael Rusinack in a plot that eventually led to Rusinack trying to hire a hitman to kill his 28-year-old stepson.

"He took an oath not only to protect the inmates in his custody but to enforce the law," says neighbor Paul England.

According to court documents, Justice was working as a Jail Officer at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center when he conspired with Rusinack to have his stepson arrested, then sent to the jail. While in the facility, the plan was for Justice to allegedly place the man into a situation where he could be sexually assaulted.

Rusinack was arrested May 12 on allegations that he was willing to pay $2,000 for someone to beat or kill his stepson after his wife's death. Police say the hitman he tried to hire was actually an undercover Prince William County officer. He was allegedly angry with the stepson over allegedly taking a car, tools, jewelry and gift cards.

He also repeatedly posted threatening and cryptic messages on Facebook, supposedly about his stepson.

Justice, meanwhile, is being held on $3,000 bond. He's officially charged with conspiracy to commit forcible sodomy.