Jail inmate indicted on murder-for-hire scheme

A Will County jail inmate was indicted on charges he asked another inmate to make arrangements for the murder of an informant in exchange for cash or “anything of value,” according to court records.

On Tuesday, a grand jury indicted Jay Nink, 32, of Joliet, on one count of solicitation of murder for hire and another count of solicitation of murder.

The indictment alleges that between May 27 and July 16, Nink told another inmate he would pay him money “or anything of value” if he made arrangements to have an informant killed.

The inmate instead worked with detectives to investigate Nink, the Will County Sheriff’s Office said.

The inmate persuaded Nink that he had a relative who was a hit man who would carry out the murder for in return for cash and guns.

Nink has been in jail since July 25, 2017, after he was arrested on charges of armed habitual criminal, gunrunning and possession of a weapon by a felon.

Nink was among 16 individuals who were arrested that day as part of a widespread criminal investigation. He was charged with possessing several shotguns and transferring them to an informant.

On Jan. 22, 2018, Nink’s previous attorney, Joel Brown, requested the names and background information on confidential informants in the 2017 case, according to court records.

On Feb. 23, 2018, prosecutors agreed to tender the name of the informant to the defense.

Will County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney said it would not be appropriate for her to answer questions about an informant’s identity when asked if this was the informant Nink allegedly sought to have killed.