15-year term in murders of Russians
Associated Press

Friday, January 18, 2008
Los Angeles -- An illegal immigrant from Lithuania was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the kidnapping and murder of Russian immigrants whose bodies were found in a reservoir near Yosemite National Park.

Aleksejus Markovskis, 34, was part of a crime ring that kidnapped five wealthy Southern California-based Russian businesspeople and killed them after ransom had been arranged.

He pleaded guilty in December 2004 to two charges of conspiracy to take hostages resulting in death and one charge of criminal forfeiture.

Markovskis had faced a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment without parole, but the U.S. attorney's office noted he testified against his accomplices. Prosecutors also said he was involved in the crime ring for only about three days.

He was given credit for the time he's already served since his arrest in June 2002 and could be released from prison as soon as 2016.

Markovskis received $15,000 for standing guard over George Safiev, 37, of Beverly Hills, and Nick Kharabadze, 29, of Woodland Hills, at a Sherman Oaks home during the their abduction and for performing other tasks, prosecutors said.

He did not directly participate in their murders and had no role in the deaths of three other victims.

At his sentencing hearing, Markovskis expressed regret for his role in the scheme.

"I still would like to apologize for any harm, pain," he said.

U.S. District Judge S. James Otero said said Markovskis did not take the opportunity to save the two men and that he cooperated with the government for selfish reasons.

"He didn't do it out of concern for the victims, but to save himself," Otero said.

Co-defendants Iouri Mikhel, 42, and Jurijus Kadamovas, 40, were sentenced to death after their trials last year.

A fourth defendant, Petro Krylov, 35, was also convicted at trial and sentenced last week to life in prison without parole.

Natalya Solovyeva, who was Kadamovas' girlfriend, is scheduled to be sentenced today for her role in the ring.


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