The U.S. Attorney's Office says Joel Lopez Sr., who was convicted Monday, offered to pay a fellow inmate $2 million in June 2007 to kill U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa in McAllen and $1 million to kidnap and ransom a woman who allegedly owed him a drug debt. The inmate alerted authorities.
Lopez's wife, Aracely Gonzalez, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to commit kidnapping for her involvement in the case.
Lopez is already serving a life sentence for a 2006 drug conviction. Lopez and Gonzalez are scheduled to be sentenced this summer.
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