BRYANSK, May 21 (RAPSI) – A district court in Smolensk has sentenced a Moscow Region resident to nine years in prison for attempting to hire a hitman, federal investigators reported Tuesday.

The man was sentenced after being convicted by a jury.

The court established that the man planned to murder his friend, 26, and asked an accomplice from the Smolensk Region to help him find a killer. He suggested using a former convict he knew for 200,000 rubles ($6,380).

The supposed hitman was given half the cash and a Tokarev semi-automatic pistol - a legendary World War II era Soviet weapon - by the client before turning himself and the client into police.

His client was arrested while handing over TT cartridges during a sting operation. He was convicted of organizing a murder and of illegal firearm possession. His accomplice made a plea bargain, and his case was considered separately. He was sentenced to 58 months in prison.