Inmate thought he was talking to a ‘hitman’ — but he was wrong, Illinois sheriff says

A man in jail tried hiring someone to kill a witness set to testify against him in court, according to a post from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois.

The man, 45-year-old Ade Tramble, was facing “numerous felony charges” in jail, the sheriff’s office said.

Tramble, of Chicago, started talking to the “hitman” and tried to hire the person, the post says. But Tramble was wrong.

He was actually chatting with an undercover Sheriff’s Gang Task Force Detective, according to the sheriff’s statement.

The investigation took about two months, and on Tuesday, Tramble was charged with Solicitation of Murder for Hire, which is a felony, the sheriff’s office said.

“If it weren’t for the complete and thorough investigation conducted by our detectives and members of the Sheriff’s Gang Task Force, we could have been investigating the murder of a witness,” Sheriff John Idleburg said in the statement. “Witnesses should never fear for their safety or be intimidated into not testifying. We will always be here to protect the safety of victims and witnesses.”

Tramble was in jail on suspicion of home invasion, unlawful restraint, and domestic battery, according to the post. He is still in custody on a $500,000 bail.

This story was originally published February 20, 2019 at 3:44 PM with the headline "Inmate thought he was talking to a ‘hitman’ — but he was wrong, Illinois sheriff says."