Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Conspiracy to Kill Dealer's Rival

Steven Crandall put up a $5,000 bounty for the death of Christian Schauer, who he believed stole pills from one of his drug dealers.

Published on Mar. 3, 2026

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Steven Crandall was sentenced to 22 years in prison, including 7 years of initial incarceration, for conspiracy to commit homicide in the death of 20-year-old Christian Schauer. Crandall believed Schauer had stolen pills from one of his drug dealers and put up a $5,000 bounty for his killing. Crandall is the fourth person sentenced in connection with Schauer's death.

Why it matters

This case highlights the dangerous consequences of drug-related violence and the lengths some will go to in order to retaliate against perceived slights. It also shows how criminal conspiracies can spiral, with multiple individuals becoming involved in a single homicide.

The details

Crandall entered a no contest plea to one count of conspiracy to commit homicide and was found guilty by a judge. In addition to the 22-year sentence, he was given credit for nearly 2 years already served in jail while awaiting trial and will have no unapproved contact with Schauer's family. Three other individuals have also been sentenced in connection with Schauer's death, including Jared Carl who is serving a life sentence for the homicide.

  • On Tuesday, Crandall was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
  • Crandall had been in jail for nearly 2 years awaiting trial.

The players

Steven Crandall

A 28-year-old man who put up a $5,000 reward for the death of Christian Schauer, whom he believed had stolen pills from one of his drug dealers.

Christian Schauer

A 20-year-old man who was killed, which led to the conspiracy charges against Crandall.

Jared Carl

The individual who is serving a life sentence for the homicide of Christian Schauer.

Shawn Carl

Jared Carl's father, who pleaded no contest to falsifying information to harbor or aid a felon and resisting or obstructing an officer.

Audrey Benson

An individual who is serving prison time for hiding Christian Schauer's corpse.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Crandall out on bail pending his appeal.

The takeaway

This case highlights the dangerous cycle of drug-related violence, where perceived slights can lead to deadly conspiracies and the involvement of multiple individuals. It underscores the need for comprehensive approaches to address the root causes of such crimes and prevent further tragedies.