AUBURN - Charles Kanode, 36, of Auburn has entered a no contest plea to conspiracy to commit murder.

Prosecutors say Kanode attempted to hire an inmate at the Nemaha County jail to kill his ex-wife, her two minor children and her grandmother.

Kanode was being held at the jail on allegations of first degree sexual assault of a child.

Prosecutors say a conversation was recorded in the jail where Kanode complained that he had already paid another inmate $600, but the killings had been delayed. The inmate later told investigators he had been paid to stalk the people and said Kanode wanted his ex-wife and daughter to be killed before they could give depositions that would be used against him at trial.

Court records say the taped conversation includes Kanode saying he wanted his ex-wife, her son and her grandmother killed, but he was unsure about his daughter.

An affidavit says Kanode told the prospective hit-man that it would be like the old West.

Affidavit: “I really think it wouldn’t be a big deal. Really easy, you know it’s not that big of a chore. And hey, if there’s like some … kid there, just take care of that too, I guess.”

The affidavit says Kanode approaches anyone who comes to the jail about the offer to kill the witnesses for money, purportedly up to $1,200.

The case was transferred out of Nemaha County after investigators reported that Kanode had also discussed the killing of the judge.

Sentencing is set on March 13.

Trial on the sexual assault charge is scheduled March 13.