Gregory Hess, who’s accused of trying to orchestrate a series of murder-for-hire plots, will be released from the York County Prison on $2 bail.
Hess has been locked up since last year on $20 million bail and has been awaiting trial.
His attorneys sought the lower bail because Hess has been in custody for more than 180 days. A defendant can be released from prison on nominal bail if the prosecution hasn’t taken place within 180 days of arrest.
Judge Thomas Kelley VI set bail at $1 per case against Hess.
His trial is scheduled for May 18.
He won’t be released from prison until electronic monitoring is in place.
Hess is accused of trying to hire someone to kill his estranged wife’s boyfriend. After that plan fell apart and Hess was arrested, police say he tried to arrange another murder of the informant who told police about the first plot. He was later charged in a third murder-for-hire plot, but that case was joined with the second one.
