Governor pardons woman convicted in Merced County attempted murder-for-hire

A woman who was convicted in Merced County of attempting to solicit the murder of her ex-boyfriend received a pardon from Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday.

Anong Baker received one of the 105 pardons that were issued by the governor, according to a statement from Brown’s office.

Baker, who at the time lived in Atwater, tried to hire an undercover police officer in 1991 for $10,000 to murder Illya Boyd so she could collect on a $50,000 life insurance policy. She was convicted in April 1992 and served four years as well as five months of probation for the crime, completing her sentence Oct. 1, 1996.

Boyd and Baker dated for more than a year when he was stationed at the former Castle Air Force Base.

All who received pardons had completed their sentences more than 10 years ago and have since had no run-ins with the law. Those pardoned have received a Certificate of Rehabilitation from a Superior Court stating the recipient had served their sentence and is now rehabilitated. According to the governor’s office, Baker last year obtained an order from San Joaquin Superior Court stating that since her release, Baker’s lived an “honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character and conducted herself as a law-abiding citizen.”

The governor grants pardons to those who have “demonstrated exemplary behavior and have lived productive and law-abiding lives following their conviction,” according to the governor’s office.

The pardon allows a felon to serve on a jury, restores certain rights pertaining to firearms unless the conviction involved a dangerous use of firearms, and gives a felon the right to apply for employment as a parole agent or correctional officer, but for no other law enforcement position.

The pardon does not erase the record of the conviction nor does it allow felons to state they have never been convicted of a crime on an employment application, according to the governor’s office.

This story was originally published December 24, 2014 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Governor pardons woman convicted in Merced County attempted murder-for-hire."