ROCKLAND (AP) – A Maine State Prison inmate who planned to take hostages with a handgun smuggled in by his wife expressed no remorse for taking aim at freedom as he was sentenced Tuesday to an additional 35 years behind bars.

Gary Watland, who already was serving 25 years for murder, was sentenced by Justice Donald Marden in Knox County Superior Court after pleading guilty to five charges including aggravated attempted murder and attempted kidnapping.

Because Watland is about 45 years old, the consecutive sentences mean he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, said District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau.

Watland offered no apologies on Tuesday. “I do have a regret that I trusted another inmate with information that got my wife thrown in prison,” Watland said.

While acknowledging that his plot could’ve gotten his wife killed, he said he wasn’t sorry about his long-shot attempt at freedom.

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to carry out my plan,” Watland said at his sentencing, which was taped by WCSH-TV.

Last October, Watland’s wife Susan tried to enter the state prison in Warren to visit Watland while she was carrying a .40-caliber Beretta handgun loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.

Authorities said Susan Watland planned to slip the gun to her husband so he could take hostages and force prison officials to let him go. Susan Watland pleaded guilty in May to trafficking in prison contraband, aiding escape and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

She was sentenced last month to eight years in prison, with five of those years suspended, followed by three years of probation.

Rushlau said Gary Watland was charged with aggravated attempted murder because testimony showed he had an intent to kill, and had taken a substantial step toward that goal.

AP-ES-08-07-07 1504EDT

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