Soldier gets 11 years for trying to hire hit man

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. - A judge sentenced a Fort Campbell soldier who was convicted of trying to hire a hit man to kill his ex-girlfriend to 11 years in prison.

The Kentucky New Era reports Christian County Circuit Judge John Atkins said Wednesday that he considered a lesser for 22-year-old Joshua Huntley but decided against it "because of the seriousness of the crime."

Huntley, who is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at the sprawling military post on the Kentucky-Tennessee line, was arrested in June 2011 after discussions with an undercover police officer posing as a hit man.

During the hearing, Huntley apologized to the ex-girlfriend and told Adkins he didn't really want to go through with the hit, but was afraid to sever communications with the undercover officer.