Florida Woman Used Pandemic Relief Loan to Hire Hitman and Murder TSA Officer - Police Say

A Florida woman reportedly used her pandemic relief loan to hire a hitman and murder an officer from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) last year, who allegedly dated her boyfriend.

According to New York Post, a Florida woman named Jasmine Martinez allegedly used the money from the Paycheck Protection Program in paying a gunman who claimed the life of the TSA officer known as Le'Shonte Jones.

The Miami Herald noted that the details about the Pandemic relief loan being used to pay for the hitman were included in the arrest warrant issued against Martinez and two other men believed to be connected in the death of Jones.

According to the authorities, Martinez took out a $15,000 pandemic relief loan, per The Daily Mail. The outlet noted that Martinez claimed that the loan was for her beauty salon in operation, but it turned out that the Florida woman used the money to kill Jones.

Arrest warrants also mentioned that Martinez withdrew $10,000 from the loan in the days leading up to the murder. Furthermore, the hitman, identified as Javon Carter, received his paycheck hours after the murder and used his phone to video himself while counting a "large sum" of cash.

Florida Woman, 2 Others, Arrested Over Murder of TSA Officer

According to NBC Miami, Martinez was arrested on Friday, along with Carter and another man named Ramiel Robinson. Reports reveal that Robinson connected Martinez to the assassin.

All three face murder charges, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Robinson and Martinez face additional charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

The trio could face the death penalty if they were found guilty by the court.

Despite the accusation, the lawyers for Martinez and Robinson contended that their clients have no part in plotting the killing of the TSA officer.

Jones was reportedly gunned down in front of her three-year-old son, who was also injured, in broad daylight on May 3.

Surveillance footage showed that Jones was walking with her toddler toward their apartment when a man got out of a 2019 Nissan Sentra and opened fire at them using a semi-automatic pistol.

Florida Woman and the TSA Officer

Martinez and Jones have had long-standing strife since 2016.

Martinez was previously arrested in 2016 for hitting the TSA officer who was dating her ex. However, The Miami Herald noted that that case was dropped by the court.

In 2018, Martinez was arrested again for punching Jones in the face. Jones was also reportedly attacked in the parking of Miami's criminal courthouse by Martinez's boyfriend, Kelly Nelson, according to a court hearing in 2020 in connection to the Florida woman's 2018 case.

Months before Jones's murder, the TSA officer gave her deposition against Nelson who is now awaiting his trial.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: PPP Loan Used to Pay for Murder-For-Hire Plot: Police - From NBC 6 South Florida