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Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
Bloomingdale High School history teacher James Pepe, 55, was arrested Thursday for allegedly trying to hire a hit man to murder a former colleague.
A high school history teacher in Florida has been arrested for attempting to hire a hit man to kill a former colleague, police said.
Plant City, Fla., police arrested James Peppe, 55, of Tampa outside of Bloomingdale High School in Valrico, Fla., as classes were being let out Thursday after he allegedly tried arrange to have his one-time friend and colleague murdered.
Police say the relationship between Pepe and Robert Meredith, an economics teacher, deteriorated as they worked together at Strawberry Crest High School. Pepe reportedly suspected Meredith was spreading rumors about him, and Pepe eventually transferred to a different school. Meredith stayed at Strawberry Crest.
But their feud continued, and police began investigating the case in August after they received a call from a man who told them he was concerned over several recent phone calls with Pepe during which Pepe allegedly tried to hire him to kill Meredith. The caller said he had been a friend of Pepe’s for more than 40 years.
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Plant City Police detectives started working with the FBI to track down Pepe, and during a telephone call on Sept. 13, Pepe told an undercover officer that he “had an issue he might need taken care of,” and he was willing to pay $2,000, police said. That telephone call was followed by a second phone conversation during which the undercover officer attempted to arrange a meeting with Pepe.
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Pepe declined to meet in person but said he still wanted the Meredith murdered, police said.
Pepe faces a charge of solicitation of first-degree murder. He is being held without bond at the Hillsborough County Jail.
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Leave a Comment:
Sounds like they might have been taking Evolution Vs. Creation a bit too far!
Most excellent Gloss!
History dictates this was a mistake. Guess he wasn't much of a History Teacher.
This doesn't say much for our educational system if this guy wasn't smart enough to figure out that these things almost always end badly for the person looking for a hitman.
Yeah guess he did not realize that the only people that get away with hiring hit men are the rich and powerful. A middle class school teacher is NOT going to get away with it. He should have paid more attention to history...
And now this news just in from Florida. Again.
And what lesson did we learn here class? Anyone? You in the back with your head down....why is it not a good idea to ask the police to murder someone for you? lol
At least they will still have their teacher pensions.
wtf is it about Florida first a mom dumps here 3week old baby by the side of the road and leaves it and now teachers hiring hit-men lol
You are mixed up about the "mother". She was in Illinois. But, I agree with you. WTF is wrong with people these days?
You get what you pay for......$2000 got you turned in you big dummy!!
More Florida for ya!
The state that gave us George W. talk about teachers grading on a curve what system gave this guy a credential. History, I thought this guy was my High School Trig. teacher. Nobody could understand him either.
I wonder if the police actually know the identity of the caller who said Pepe tried to hire him OR if it was Meredith that called? It would be a way to end the feuding.
Was Pepe paranoid of was Meredith really spreading rumors, something you would expect from a high school girl not between two teachers!
I think his eval should read: Does not work and play well with others.
Florida, the place to visit a third-world land without leaving the U.S.
Probably a couple of Romneyites as well.
not teachers......no way.
I guess this proves teachers don't get paid enough...
You could at least understand if it was to collect insurance or off a spouse getting ready to take you to the cleaners but another teacher? Hard to understand.
When I look at his picture it seems obvious that there is something not quite right about him. Is that being too judgmental?
Bet ya it was some sort of a sexual situation.
And these fools are suppose to teach our children...............