Bird Island man convicted of conspiracy to commit murder

A Bird Island man is facing up to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of conspiring to commit murder.

Scott Mooney, 27, was convicted by a jury in Renville County Court last week.  The trial took two days, with the jury deliberating for less than ten minutes before delivering the guilty verdict.

In August 2021, Mooney made various threats of violence toward a female friend of one of his relatives.  Court documents say he arranged for a gang member to lock the exits to the victim’s apartment building and set it on fire.  Mooney offered up to $600 in cash for the job, according to a criminal complaint, and later sent $200 via Venmo to his co-conspirator.

“Believing he knew when the co-conspirator would arrive, Mr. Mooney worked toward setting up an alibi,” a press release from the Renville County Attorney’s Office says.  “Fortunately, the co-conspirator never arrived and no actual murder or arson occurred.

Mooney will be sentenced in June.  He’s currently in custody in Renville County.