Plea agreement made in attempted murder case

Kim Smith

Friday, Oct. 12, 2001 | 8:55 a.m.

The third of three men accused of trying three times to kill a local psychologist has entered a plea agreement.

William Charles Ashcroft, 52, didn't admit his guilt Thursday, but he did agree prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him in the attempted murder of Russell Hart.

As a result of the plea agreement, District Judge John McGroarty must decide on Jan. 8 whether Ashcroft should receive probation or a two- to 20-year prison sentence.

In exchange for Ashcroft's plea, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael O'Callaghan agreed to dismiss four other charges against Ashcroft, which could have gotten him as much as 125 years in prison.

O'Callaghan said authorities believe Hart was targeted by Ashcroft because Hart had discovered Ashcroft was embezzling from the apartment complex he managed for Hart.

A local TV station was investigating allegations that Hart was a "slum lord," and he discovered that Ashcroft was charging rent on certain apartments and pocketing the money, O'Callaghan said. Ashcroft was never charged with embezzlement.

O'Callaghan said Ashcroft hired Todd Esposito, a former tenant, to kill Hart.

The first attempt on Hart's life was Aug. 22, 1997. On that day, Esposito and an unknown accomplice drove by Hart's residence, fired a shotgun at him and missed.

Days later, O'Callaghan said, Todd Esposito and Gary Wadley went to Hart's home again. This time Wadley hot-wired the ignition of Hart's vehicle to his gas tank hoping it would explode when started. Hart noticed the wire before he started his car.

Then, on Oct. 21, Wadley shot Hart in the face outside his office while Esposito acted as a lookout, O'Callaghan said. The bullet missed Hart's brain and spine by inches, and he survived.

Esposito, fearing Wadley would turn on him, eventually went to the police, confessed and exposed the plot by wearing a body wire while talking to Ashcroft, O'Callaghan said.

Court records show Esposito is serving a two to five-year prison sentence and Wadley is serving 10 to 40 years.

After the attempts on his life, Hart pleaded the equivalent of no contest to attempted grand larceny, court records show. He was fined $1,000.

O'Callaghan said the charges stemmed from an incident in which Hart stole a purse from a local drug store.