EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. -- Former NHL player Mike Danton was sentenced Monday to 7½ years in prison for trying to have his agent killed.
Danton said nothing as U.S. District Judge William Stiehl imposed the sentence on the 24-year-old former St. Louis Blues player.
"I do not believe in over 18 years on the bench I have been faced with a case as bizarre as this one," Stiehl said, noting that Danton chose a 19-year-old acquaintance and a police dispatcher as his would-be helpers in the murder plot.
Danton is expected to seek transfer to a prison in his native Canada. As for his hockey career, there is no parole in the federal system and, the judge noted, Danton may not be allowed to return to the United States after completing his sentence.
Danton pleaded guilty July 16 to murder conspiracy charges. Prosecutors said he tried to hire a hit man to kill David Frost, his agent and Canadian youth hockey coach.
Authorities said Danton and Frost had argued over Danton's alleged promiscuity and alcohol use, and Danton feared Frost would tell the St. Louis Blues' front office about his behavior.
A federal jury on Sept. 20 acquitted Katie Wolfmeyer, 19, of Florissant, Mo., of charges she helped Danton in the plot.
"I don't know why we bother, we should let you all burn." - Basil Fawlty on the importance of fire drills.
And I think it's safe to say that Danton's playing career is over. After 87 NHL games and racking up 182 minutes in penalties with New Jersey and St. Louis, Danton will be spending the next 7 1/2 years in the ultimate sin bin...PRISON. Good riddance.
7 1/2 years? If he gets any of that sentence reduced due to good behavior etc., he might be out in 6 plus years. Now, will Mike Danton be released from prison before the NHL plays non-scab games?
(edited by redsoxnation on 9.11.04 2128) The Ottoman Empire is coming. The Ottoman Empire is coming. Hide the couches.
In the TSN story on the Danton case last night a statement from Danton was read. He said he wanted to spend the next 7 1/2 years getting his mental health in order so that when he's released he can get back to playing the game he loves. I guess nobody had the heart to tell him that even in the current watered-down NHL there isn't much demand for a fringe calibre goon with a nasty criminal record.
It shows how the NHL is just not one of the big sports league. Over 7 years just "conspiring" to get someone wacked... Major American sports athletes can get away with that with maybe 7 weeks of community service.
smark/net attack wienerville advisory holds at ORANGE alert - High (JBL is STILL WWE champion and now smarks arch enemy HHH is the World Champion. Major red threat, but the undercard seems okay. The alert holds... for now)- 9/19
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