A 38-year-old Plano man is facing charges in connection with a murder-for-hire plot and several car break-ins, authorities announced Tuesday. 

According to the Plano Police Department, Michael McCloud spoke to an undercover agent about killing his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. He pleaded guilty to one count of murder-for-hire in federal court on Monday, Feb. 10. 

Plano crime spree leads to arrest 

Police said an investigation into McCloud began in late December 2023 after officers responded to a reported car burglary at Los Rios Boulevard and East Park Boulevard. Officers found several other cars in the area that had been burglarized. 

Detectives later discovered that the same male suspect involved in each of the car burglaries was captured on home security video stealing packages and attempting to break into vehicles, with homeowners sometimes using their voices to scare him off. 

It happened at least seven times in the East Plano neighborhood during the week before Christmas in 2023. 

"That's why this ended up named the 'The Grinch Crime Spree' series based on the time frame, the geographical location, and the fact that he was stealing different items, packages, in the Christmas lights," said Det. Alexandra Cole with the Plano Police Department.

On Jan. 2, 2024, a fingerprint at the crime scene matched a potential suspect who had previously lived in Plano. Police later identified him as 38-year-old Michael McCloud after speaking with a restaurant owner.   

Several days later, the detective assigned to the case walked into a Plano restaurant and just happened to find McCloud inside. 

Det. C McEntire was in street clothes and off duty. 

He didn't let McCloud know he was a Plano Police officer when they started a conversation at the bar about why McCloud appeared to be agitated. His explanation would open up a much more serious criminal investigation than just package thefts. 

"And so he asked him, you know, 'What's going on? Why are you so upset?" Cole said. "And [McCloud] said that he was upset about his ex-girlfriend and was talking about the fact that he wanted to find — get a silencer and commit murder."

During that exchange, McEntire said that McCloud made it known that he needed a firearm silencer to "take care of his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend" and stated his intent to murder her. McEntire reportedly told McCloud that he knew of a person who could help with the crime. 

McEntire contacted an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms task force officer with Plano PD. The agent successfully connected with McCloud.

On Feb. 13, 2024, an arrest and search warrant were executed and McCloud was taken into custody in connection with the murder-for-hire plot. Police said that through the cooperative efforts of patrol and the Vehicles Crimes Unit, McCloud was also connected to at least six known car burglaries and several mail thefts. 

Plano police detective honored for investigation 

Plano PD said on Jan. 27 Det. McEntire received a Meritorious Service Award for his investigative "insight, determination, and effective communication," which played a crucial role in capturing McCloud – preventing a capital murder.