Mohammed Aziz sentenced to 32 years for role in Neal Sweeney murder-for-hire

TULSA - Mohammed Aziz will spend significantly less time in prison compared to his co-conspirators in the Neal Sweeney murder-for-hire case.

A judge sentenced Aziz Tuesday to 32 and a half years in prison in addition to two and a half years on probation upon release.

Aziz pleaded guilty to soliciting first-degree murder in the death of Sweeney, a well-known Tulsa businessman and former University of Tulsa football standout.

Just before a judge sentenced Aziz, Neal Sweeney's wife, Jan, and one of his daughters, Allison Sweeney Turner, read a statement to Aziz.

"You did not break this family," said Turner.

Turner called Aziz "pathetic, weak" and said he was a "failure as a human being."

With her two daughters standing on each side of her at the podium Jan Sweeney looked at Aziz and said "You are an evil man."

Jan Sweeney said Aziz was leaving his family "a legacy of cowardice, failure and shame."

Sweeney said her husband left a legacy of "love and compassion, accomplishment, faith and pride" and said "Neal was everything Mohammad Aziz will never be."

As part of a plea deal, Aziz avoided murder charges as long as he testified against his co-conspirators.

Prosecutors say Aziz wanted Sweeney dead because he was upset Sweeney cut off the gas supply to Aziz's station over unpaid bills.

Aziz was the final man to learn his sentence.

Three other men -- Terrico Bethel, Fred Shields and Alonzo Johnson -- have already been convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

A fourth man was initially implicated in the murder.  Allen Shields made a deal with prosecutors to testify against the others but he committed suicide in 2011 during a standoff with Tulsa police.