TRENTON – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) announced that a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced today to 95 years in New Jersey state prison for planning to kill multiple government officials.

Steven Smink, 62, of Philadelphia, was convicted on August 15, 2025, of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and five counts of attempted murder (all 1st degree), and conspiracy to transport weapons and transporting weapons (both 4th degree) following a trial before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Levin, who imposed the sentence today. Smink must serve 85 percent of the sentence.

“The sentence handed down today is appropriate for this defendant, who planned to kill public servants for doing their jobs when they convicted him for previously committed crimes,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Thanks to the excellent investigative work by State Police and prison officials, his murder-for-hire plot was discovered before anyone was harmed. I want to recognize the skill and dedication of the prosecutors with the Division of Criminal Justice, who helped secure justice today.”

“Today’s sentence will keep this violent offender behind bars, where he clearly belongs,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “Public officials should never be threatened for doing their job, which in this case involved convicting and sentencing an arsonist. His response was to try and hire someone to kill them. These additional violent crimes resulted in his second conviction and additional years in prison.”

“This sentence sends a powerful message: any attempt to threaten or harm government officials will not be tolerated and will be met with the highest level of accountability,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “The safety of those who serve the public is essential, and this outcome underscores our commitment to protecting public officials from those who seek to undermine their service.”

Smink was convicted of conspiring with others from January 2018 to December of 2020 to cause the death of Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, First Assistant Prosecutor Harold Shapiro, two superior court judges, and an assistant prosecutor who were involved in his 2014 conviction for arson charges. Smink, the former owner of a southern New Jersey bowling alley, was previously sentenced to serve 15 years in state prison for orchestrating a plan to burn down a rival bowling alley. Two Philadelphia residents accused of starting the fire also pleaded guilty.

In April 2019, while Smink was serving his sentence in Northern State Prison (Newark), the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) Central Security Unit (CSU) received information from the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) that Smink hired a cooperating witness in late 2017 and early 2018 to help Smink carry out a murder-for-hire plot.

The investigation revealed that Smink originally hired a member of the Latin Kings gang, who was also imprisoned, to carry out and execute the murders. The Latin Kings member died prior carrying out any act for the murder-for-hire plot. Smink then contracted with the cooperating witness to find a hitman as Smink oversaw the transfer of sports memorabilia to pay for the hits and directed his mother, Esther Smink (now deceased), to write correspondence in furtherance of the conspiracy on his behalf. In a meeting with an undercover officer, Smink stated: “If everybody was together, wipe the whole place out and kill everybody it just looks like somebody making an assault, a gangs meeting.” He also said: “If somebody shot up the place it looks like the gang getting retribution.”

Prosecutor Webb-McRae addressed the court at the sentencing hearing.

“I signed up for my job,” said Prosecutor Webb-McRae. “And as the front facing symbol of my office, it could be argued that I knew the risks when I did. But Judge, my family didn’t. My neighbors didn’t. My church family didn’t. And when they read that someone was arrested in a plot to kill me, they feel a little less safe spending time in spaces where I am present.”

The charges resulted from a joint investigation between the New Jersey State Police Central Intelligence Unit and the New Jersey Department of Corrections SID, with assistance from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

The case was prosecuted by DCJ Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Parvin, Deputy Attorney General Veronica Daddario, and Deputy Attorney General Amie Hyde.

Defense counsel: Durann A. Neil Esq., Philadelphia