NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. -- A Nassau County man who was arrested in what police describe as a bizarre plot against his estranged wife was in court apologizing on Thursday.

After three and a half months of what Leona Burkett called a living hell, she went to the Nassau County Courthouse looking for some closure. Her husband, John Ferrell Burkett, was there too, and he offered an apology for an act the judge called, bluntly, despicable.

In mid-August, Leona Burkett was pulled over while driving her car. Under the seat, police found a makeup bag containing a gun and drugs, and she was arrested.

"This has been very difficult," said Leona Burkett. "It's very sad when you're sitting there and the only hope you have is that man upstairs is watching everything."

Investigators said John Burkett hired people to plant drugs and guns in his wife's car and then tell police.

After a month-long investigation, police arrested him along with a woman and two men.

The arrest report states one of them, John Regan, hid the makeup bag with the gun, drugs and pills inside Leona Burkett's vehicle. A second person, Carla Looper, called in the tip to have Leona Burkett pulled over.

A wire was put on the third suspect, Fred Ring, and police said John Burkett was recorded talking about how the gun was not traceable and Fred Ring had no reason to worry, according to the report.

In court on Thursday, John Burkett admitted to the crime.

Leona Burkett said she and her husband had been going through a nasty divorce for the past few years. Still she was shocked that he would go to such lengths to frame her.

"I just have to feel there used to be a good part of Ferrell, and I to feel that he's truly sorry," said Leona Burkett.

Thursday's court hearing was a pretrial intervention hearing. For the next 18 months John Burkett will have to complete a series of steps to get the charges against him dropped.

Looper was sentenced for time served for violation of probation. Regan's and Ring's cases have yet to be resolved.