Allen man receives 30 years in murder-for-hire plot
He must serve half his sentence; wife who was targeted pleaded for leniency
12:00 AM CST on Tuesday, February 12, 2008
By TIARA M. ELLIS / The Dallas Morning News
McKINNEY – A Collin County jury sentenced Albert Jackson Sterling II to 30 years in prison Monday for two counts of solicitation of capital murder. He had tried to hire an ex-convict to kill his pregnant wife.
Wearing the same suit that he wore Friday when police took him into custody after his conviction, Mr. Sterling shuffled into the courtroom Monday morning with his collar out of place and looking disheveled.
Leaning forward in her seat, Roxane Johnson-Sterling asked her husband in a hushed tone, "Are you all right? Are you OK?"
He nodded, then stood to face the jury and his sentence. Jury forewoman Susan Dodia announced 30 years for each count, a conclusion reached after three hours of deliberation split over two days. The sentences will be served concurrently.
Mr. Sterling, 39, remained stoic. Mrs. Johnson-Sterling held a hand to her mouth but shed no tears.
Mrs. Johnson-Sterling supported her husband throughout the two-week trial and maintains that he never hired anyone to kill her. She testified on his behalf and asked the jury to give her husband probation so he could help raise their two sons – 4-year-old Ryan and 13-month-old Reese.
Mr. Sterling must serve at least half the sentence – 15 years – before he is eligible for parole. Mr. Sterling plans to appeal the jury's verdict, said one of his attorneys, Russell Wilson.
The defense team's biggest point of contention was the testimony of Jeffrey Thompson, who described for jurors how Mr. Sterling let him into the Sterlings' Allen home in November 2006. He waited for Mrs. Johnson-Sterling to return after dropping her husband and son off at the airport, and then told her of the plan to kill her. Mr. Thompson, who was never charged, could not be reached for comment about the verdict.
Mr. Sterling tried to hire him to kill Mrs. Johnson-Sterling because he did not believe the child she was carrying was his, Mr. Thompson said. Mr. Sterling testified during the punishment phase of the trial that he and Mr. Thompson had entered into a car insurance scam together. Mr. Sterling said the ruse called for Mr. Thompson to steal and sell Mrs. Johnson-Sterling's Lexus for its parts, not to kill her.
Testimony showed that Mr. Sterling would have received $404,000 from insurance claims if his wife had died. There was also testimony that he had been having an on-and-off affair with Natalia Sinatora, an elementary school teacher who taught a class at the 24-Hour Fitness gym where he taught a kickboxing class part time.
Ms. Sinatora did not attend court after testifying last week but when told about the sentence, she expressed mixed emotions.
"I don't feel happy or sad about it. I do feel relieved. I feel like justice has been done. I can put this behind me," said Ms. Sinatora, adding that she hopes her experience serves as a message to other women to listen to their intuition when it comes to men.
Ms. Sinatora also expressed her concern for Mrs. Johnson-Sterling and said she hopes the woman can begin rebuilding her life.
After the sentence was announced, Mrs. Johnson-Sterling walked out of the courthouse and did not respond to requests for comment.
"She's still very torn up about this whole process," Mr. Wilson said. "She's very upset and very concerned about the welfare of what remains of her family. She's very concerned about the future of her children and very disappointed by the jury's decision."
Prosecutor Barnett Walker complimented the jury on their sentence.
"It'll give both of the young boys – Reese and Ryan – a chance to mature and grow up and make their own decision whether or not they want to associate with their father," Mr. Walker said.
The jurors trickled into the lobby after talking to the prosecutors and defense attorneys for 1 ½ hours. But they did not want to comment on the case directly. Instead they allowed Ms. Dodia to release a statement on their behalf.
"This jury took our responsibility very seriously. We carefully reviewed each piece of information impartially before rendering our verdicts and deciding on a sentence," Ms. Dodia said.
She wrote, "We sympathize with everyone who has been affected by these events, and hope all parties can heal and move on with their lives."
