Marysville man pleads guilty in murder-for-hire case

A Marysville man who paid an undercover police officer to kill his estranged wife pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempted premeditated murder.

Jonathan Scott Franklin, 38, a former mental health worker, could receive a 13-year-to-life sentence when he returns to court May 26, said Yuba County Deputy District Attorney Mechele Cook.

Franklin, who is being held without bail in Yuba County Jail, paid the officer $1,000 and promised another $1,000 when the job was done.

The secretly taped conversation between Franklin and the officer in July was highly incriminating, said Cook.

Franklin's wife, identified in court as K.F., was not present. She is satisfied with the plea agreement worked out with Franklin's attorney, Nancy Southworth, according to Cook.

The woman divorced Franklin after he was charged. The couple, who have two children, separated in 2008. She was given custody of the children.

Franklin pleaded no contest to soliciting the same officer to kill his wife's boyfriend if the opportunity arose.

Franklin originally was charged with attempting to murder the boyfriend, identified in court as A.H., but the charge was reduced. He could receive a maximum six years on that charge in addition to seven years to life on the attempted murder charge, said Cook.

Judge James Curry said Franklin is eligible for probation. Southworth said that possibly could mean a sentence much shorter than 13 years.

Police found child pornography on Franklin's computer when they searched his residence. That charge was dismissed, but Curry can consider it at sentencing under the plea agreement.

Curry warned Franklin that, in addition to the prison time, he could be liable for restitution to cover the cost of counseling and relocation for K.F. and the couple's children.

In a court filing in the divorce case, K.F. said her husband "developed aberrant behavioral patterns" after he lost his job in 2007, spending many hours a day playing "World of Warcraft" on his computer and watching pornography.

Franklin admitted watching pornography but said he used the computer mainly to search for a job and for an online course he was taking toward a master's degree.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.