Man sentenced to 15 years in scheme to injure ex-wife

<p>A Murfreesboro carpenter was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday for plotting an attack on his ex-wife in a case that also involved country singer Travis Tritt.</p><p>Parley Drew Hardman initially wanted to have his ex-wife, Cherilynn Collins, killed by a hit man. But when he could not afford the fee, Hardman settled for having her kneecaps shattered and her dog killed.</p><p>The FBI was tipped early to the plot and closely monitored Hardman through an informant. Collins was not injured.</p><p>Moments before Hardman was arrested, agents heard him discuss having Tritt killed. According to a statement by prosecutors at the time, Hardman told (Marvin) Droznek that one of his friends had been mistreated by Tritt and wanted him dead.</p><p>Drozneck was a Nashville loan shark to whom Hardman supposedly turned for help in finding a hit man for his ex-wife.</p><p>The government did not charge Hardman for the Tritt threat.</p><p>Tritt, who is from Marietta, Ga., and Collins were in federal court Monday to hear U.S. District Court Judge Robert Echols sentence Hardman to 180 months followed by three years of supervised release. He also was fined $17,500.</p><p>Earlier in the trial, Tritt had testified that is was like winning the unlucky lottery when he learned that someone he had never met discussed having him killed. Tritt said he spent $100,000 on security after the threat, and sympathized with people who could not afford to hire private security when their lives are threatened.</p><p>Echols ruled that there had never been an active plan on Hardmans part to harm Tritt.</p><p>Tritts hits include Anymore, Heres a Quarter, The Whiskey Aint Workin and Foolish Pride.</p>