The Plant City Police Department has arrested James J. Pepe, of Tampa, on charges of solicitation of first-degree murder.
On Aug. 8, an out-of-state witness contacted Plant City police detectives. The witness informed detectives Pepe had attempted to hire him to murder a former co-worker, Robert Meredith, of Plant City. The witness was concerned that Pepe was serious about murdering Meredith and
felt he would do so, unless law enforcement became involved.
Plant City detectives, with the assistance of the witness and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, initiated several telephone calls with the suspect. During those conversations, the suspect asked the witness to find someone who would be willing to kill Meredith.
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. That telephone call was followed by a second telephone conversation in which the undercover officer attempted to arrange a meeting with the suspect. The suspect declined to meet but stated he still wanted the victim
murdered.
Meredith and the defendant worked together as teachers within the Hillsborough County school system. Pepe currently teaches history at Bloomingdale High School. A phone list from September 2009 shows Meredith was a teacher in the social studies department at Strawberry Crest High School.
Pepe will be transported to the Hillsborough County Jail.