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A former Louisville pediatrician has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for attempting to hire a hit man to kill her ex-husband and aiding and abetting interstate stalking, it was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Kentucky.

According to court records, Stephanie M. Russell, 53, received 10 years on the attempted murder-for-hire charge and two years on the interstate stalking charge. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively, which brought the total to 12 years. Russell’s term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. In addition, Russell was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000. 

The U.S. Attorney’s office says Russell owned and operated KidzLife Pediatrics located at Norton Commons in Louisville. Beginning in July 2021, Russell caused another to travel in interstate commerce, and used a telephone, a facility of interstate commerce, with the intent that the murder of her former husband, R.C., be committed in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and offered to pay for that murder. 

In July 2021, during a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, R.C., Russell began soliciting multiple KidzLife employees, asking if they knew someone who would be willing to kill R.C. In the spring of 2022, the FBI was notified of Russell’s solicitations, and began an investigation. As part of that investigation, a cooperating witness provided Russell with the telephone number of a purported hitman from the Chicago area, who was an undercover FBI agent.

Russell agreed to pay the purported hitman $7,000, with half due up front. On May 18, 2022, Russell was caught on surveillance video leaving $3,500 in a specimen box outside the KidzLife building for the hitman to retrieve. The purported hitman drove to Louisville from Illinois and was videotaped as he picked up the payment. The FBI arrested Russell the next day.   

In addition, according to court documents and evidence presented at the change of plea hearing, between Dec. 1, 2018, and Aug. 9, 2019, during custody litigation, Russell, aided and abetted by J.S., a person who traveled to Louisville from Michigan, engaged in conduct that caused and attempted to cause her former husband substantial emotional distress and Russell did so with the intent to harass and intimidate him.

The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.