Prosecutors: Former youth pastor charged in murder for hire plot while incarcerated for sexually assaulting teen

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa - A former youth pastor has been charged in connection with a murder for hire plot while serving time in prison for sexually assaulting a teen girl, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. 

Jacob Malone, 37, has been charged after he allegedly attempted to hire someone to kill a pastor and a judge. A former youth pastor has been charged in connection with a murder for hire plot while serving time in prison for sexually assaulting a teen girl, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. 

According to authorities, Jacob Malone, 37, has been charged with multiple counts of solicitation to commit murder and related charges for attempting to hire someone to kill Pastor Harold Lee Wiggins and Common Pleas Judge Jacqueline Cody in Somerset County. 

Jacob Malone, 37, has been charged after he allegedly attempted to hire someone to kill a pastor and a judge. (Chester County District Attorney's Office)

Malone had been serving a state prison sentence of three to six years at SCI Laurel Highlands in Somerset County for sexual assault in Chester County. He allegedly offered a fellow inmate $5,000 to kill the head pastor at a church because of his involvement with Malone’s case. Malone also told the inmate that he would be willing to offer additional money for the murder of Judge Cody, who presided over the sexual assault case, according to investigators. 

Prosecutors say the inmate contacted authorities who launched an investigation. 
 
Malone served as a pastor at Calvary Fellowship in Downingtown from 2014-2015.  

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