California Man Gets 20 Years For Plan To Kill Judge, Others

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP)— An Orange County man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for soliciting the murders and assaults of a federal judge, two prosecutors and two FBI agents.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 61-year-old John Walthall of Laguna Beach was sentenced on Friday.

Prosecutors say Walthall targeted the judge, prosecutors and agents for their involvement in his 2009 conviction in a fraud scheme that duped an elderly couple out of $5.5 million. Walthall was sentenced to 14 years in that case.

Prosecutors say Walthall approached fellow prisoners about kidnapping and killing those involved in the case.

Prosecutors say the plan included kidnapping Judge Andrew Guilford, forcing him to exonerate Walthall, cutting out one of his eyes and killing him by putting him through a wood chipper.