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Jennifer Emmi, 43, a well known Colorado animal rights attorney and media personality, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison

A TV animal rights attorney was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday after she admitted attempting to hire a hitman to kill her estranged husband's girlfriend. 

Jennifer Emmi, 43, pleaded guilty to solicitation of second-degree murder, as well as stalking and retaliation against a witness or victim.

Emmi, of Evergreen, Colorado, had been locked in a divorce battle with ex Donnie Emmi last year when she attempted orchestrate a hit on his girlfriend, who had worked as an au pair for the family.

Emmi was arrested in January, two months after she allegedly offered 28-year-old ranch hand Timothy Lindsey $100,000 to carry out the killing.

Along with her 10 year sentence, Jefferson County 1st Judicial District Judge Randall C. Arp also ordered Emmi to serve three years of mandatory parole after release. 

Judge Arp claimed that he had seen 'two sides' of Emmi during the trial and believed that she continued to remain a threat to those involved. He defended his sentencing saying, 'You take almost no accountability for your actions.'

One of her lawyers, M. Colin Bresee, spoke for over an hour defending his client's character. He described her recent struggles in her relationship, battling illnesses, and apparent addictions which all built up to the creation of her murder-for-hire plot. 

She was also supported by her mother, members of the community, and her divorce attorney who spoke in court. 

Bresee asked that Emmi be sentenced to probation, instead of prison, because she needed help coping and to be able to see her family. He explained that it had been 17 months and 26 days 'since Jennifer has been allowed to see her children or hug her children.' 

Emmi, who is also known as Jennifer Edwards, was arrested in late January for allegedly asking ranch hand, 28-year-old Timothy Lindsey, in November to help kill her ex-husband Donnie Emmi's girlfriend, who worked as an au pair for the family

Jefferson County 1st Judicial District Judge Randall C. Arp told Emmi, 'I believe you continue to pose a risk to the community and those victims, mostly because you're blaming others, anything and anyone, rather than taking responsibility for your actions' 

'She doesn't need more punishment from this court. She comes before this court begging you for your help,' he continued. 

Bresee pleaded with the court, 'Jennifer needs your help, and sentencing her to prison guarantees she won't get the help she needs and she wants.' 

But the prosecution argued that Emmi failed to take responsibility for her criminal actions. Judge Arp agreed explaining, 'You take almost no accountability for your actions and blame your husband au pair.' 

'I believe you continue to pose a risk to the community and those victims, mostly because you're blaming others, anything and anyone, rather than taking responsibility for your actions,' he continued. 

After the sentencing, Bresee 'respectfully' disagreed with the sentence. 

'Malcolm (Seawell) and I respect Judge Arp's articulated sentence; however, we respectfully disagree with Judge Arp's sentence for the reasons we articulate,' he said in a statement to Fox News. 

Emmi had entered guilty pleas to seven felonies and four misdemeanors on June 28, her lawyer has said. 

The murder-for-hire arrest followed a six-month investigation by the sheriff's office that involved undercover meetings, blackmail and extortion attempts

After her arrest, legal documents alleged she had threatened her estranged spouse Donnie and their children prior to the murder-for-hire plot

Her felony charges included solicitation to commit second-degree murder, menacing, heat-of-passion strangulation, attempting to influence a judge, violation of a bail bond, retaliation against a witness and stalking.

She also pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, reckless driving, tampering and two counts of child abuse against her children.

Under the conditions of her plea deal, the judge seeing her case dismissed 11 other felony counts and 12 other misdemeanor charges, People Magazine reported.

After her arrest, legal documents alleged she had threatened her estranged spouse and children prior to the murder-for-hire plot.

In January 2020, she allegedly held a knife to her husband's neck as he held one of the couple's three young children. 

Legal documents detailing the allegations her husband made against her , which were obtained by Fox News, state: 'While Donnie's back was to Jennifer, he felt someone grab the hood part of his hooded sweatshirt... At the same time, he felt his hair being pulled. Then, he felt a piece of cold metal come across his neck and press into it.''

The following month, Jennifer is alleged to have grabbed one of her three children 'by the neck' to 'strangle' her. 

'I didn't think I was going to live,' the young child is quoted as telling investigators in the affidavit.

Donnie was additionally 'fearful' that Jennifer would 'commit a murder/suicide and kill him, the kids and herself',

According to the legal documents, Donnie claims Jennifer 'threatened to kill one of their children by driving into a tractor trailer'.

Donnie alleges that Jennifer was suffering from substance abuse issues and was taking 'several medications for a condition called optic neuritis'.

Her attorney disputed the claims made in the affidavit. 

Emmi and Donnie had been locked in a divorce battle to end their decade long marriage when she contacted Timothy Lindsey, 28, about murdering Donnie's girlfriend, who has not been publicly named.

 Emmi was allegedly recorded in a series of telephone calls asking if Lindsey knew anyone who could 'get rid' of the woman.

She is said to have provided the girlfriend's name and workplace, the affidavit states.

Lindsey 'played along' telling Emmi it would cost her about $100,000.

The pair are also alleged to have discussed whether the killing should happen at his Evergreen ranch or somewhere else.

Emmi is alleged to have asked a man who worked at her Evergreen ranch to 'take care' of her husband's girlfriend

'Jennifer responded that the money would not be a problem,' Lindsey told investigators, according to CBS4.

Emmi is alleged to have suggested that both the au pair and her husband could be killed because, 'if there was a car accident or something, no one would know,' according to the affidavit, then later said the plan was 'on hold'.

The ranch hand said he believed the animal rights attorney was serious.

When investigators accessed Emmi's computer, they say she had searched for 'how to get rid of the other woman for good.'

Lindsey then notified Donnie and went to the police.

The affidavit also alleges Emmi researched witnesses, judges, prosecutors and investigators involved in her case, sometimes keeping handwritten notes with personal information on those people and their families.

She also allegedly researched whether law enforcement could track her phone and bought devices meant to block tracking. 

Emmi founded The Animal Law Center, established a nonprofit ranch in Evergreen to accentuate the bond between humans and animals, and has been regularly interviewed by local media outlets about various animal cases.