Ashley Grayson, 35, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting a Southaven, Mississippi woman. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence on Thursday.

Grayson, an internet business owner with a notable online presence, sought to have three people killed, including the Southaven woman, over perceived slights on social media and online criticism of her business. Prosecutors detailed that Grayson believed the victim had created fake profiles to attack her reputation.

In September 2022, Grayson met with a Memphis couple and offered them $20,000 per victim. A recorded phone call later captured Grayson urging the hit on the Southaven woman, offering an additional $5,000 if it was carried out quickly. The Memphis couple feigned an attempt, sending Grayson a staged photo of police lights to claim partial payment, ultimately receiving $10,000.

Grayson and her husband, Joshua, were indicted in July 2023, but a jury acquitted Joshua while convicting Ashley in March 2024. On October 31, U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Grayson to the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, along with three years of supervised release.

“This was a 21st-century crime where online feuds spilled into the real world,” Fondren said. “Fortunately, no one was physically harmed, but the emotional toll on the victims was significant.”

FBI Special Agent Joe Carrico lauded the investigation, emphasizing the importance of joint federal efforts in preventing violence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neal Oldham and Bryce Phillips and investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.