HAMILTON — An acting judge sent the case of a murder-conspiracy suspect to a Butler County grand jury Tuesday.

        After an hourlong hearing in Hamilton Municipal Court, Acting Judge Larry Fiehrer ruled there was sufficient evidence to support a conspiracy-to-commit-murder charge against Samuel Harrison, 19.

        Mr. Harrison and three other teens are accused of plotting to kill New Miami Police Chief Duane Pelfrey. A conspiracy charge against a fifth teen was dismissed Monday, but he still is accused of stealing a shotgun that police believe was to be used in an ambush of the chief.

        Scott Blauvelt, Mr. Harrison's court-appointed lawyer, said the case was based on flimsy evidence. “What we have here is basically a paper-thin case,” he said.

        But the city prosecutor, Dan Haughey, said police had obtained statements indicating that Mr. Harrison had played a significant role in a series of meetings purportedly held to plan the slaying, and that the group had obtained the chief's daily schedule to determine when he would be alone and vulnerable to attack.

        Further, Mr. Harrison had access to a 12-gauge, sawed-off shotgun, the type of weapon specified by one of the other suspects.

        “Sam was going to shoot first ... The last shot was going to be in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun to mess (Chief Pelfrey) up bad,” New Miami Police Officer Jason Webb read from a suspect's statement.

        The sawed-off shotgun was found in the basement of a relative's home; another shotgun was retrieved from a septic tank at Mr. Harrison's residence, Officer Webb said.

        Although Mr. Harrison denied involvement in the alleged plot, two other suspects told police it was Mr. Harrison who came up with the idea to try to assassinate the chief, Officer Webb testified.

        Also, he said, one of the suspects said: “Sam comes up with all the ideas.”

        Mr. Harrison is in the Butler County Jail.

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