Feds: Suspect facing child molestation charges tried hiring a hit man to kill alleged victim

A Missouri man accused of child molestation is now in federal custody after officials said he tried to hire a hit man to kill the alleged victim in an attempt to avoid prison.

What are the details?

The Daily Mail reported that John Mark Wilson, 55, was charged last year with two counts of statutory sodomy related to an incident that allegedly occurred in 2004. Wilson's accuser is now an adult, and a criminal complaint shows Wilson believed that having the alleged victim murdered was his only option to avoid serving time.

Wilson solicited who he believed to be an assassin — but was actually an undercover ATF agent — to do the deed. He first met with the officer on Jan. 11 and explained, "I'm looking at maybe life in prison."

When the officer asked if Wilson wanted the accuser dead, he's recorded as saying, "Yeah. I don't know what else to do. I don't have any other choice. My lawyer's not giving me a whole lotta hope with all this s**t, this 'me too' crap that's going on."

In a follow-up meeting in Kansas City, Kansas, Tuesday, Wilson gave the officer a $2,000 deposit and a picture of his accuser, and had purchased shotgun shells purportedly to be used for the killing. He promised to pay another $5,000 after the victim was "taken out."

After the exchange, investigators followed Wilson back to Missouri, pulled him over and arrested him in Pettis County, according to the Kansas City Star. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 28 on a charge of solicitation of murder. Authorities say he could face additional charges in the case.

Anything else?

According to Wilson, he was extorted by the accuser's mother, who blackmailed him for $5,000 a year ago after threatening to tell the authorities he had molested her son. When she allegedly returned for more money and he refused, Wilson said she had him arrested.