An El Paso County judge went into hiding earlier this month, bought a gun and was placed under police protection after being warned that 211 Crew prison gang leaders had ordered a “hit” against him in retaliation for his part in the investigation into the slaying of prisons chief Tom Clements, according to a source familiar with the case.

A key source spoke to The Denver Post on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the multi-state investigation involving the FBI, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies.

The source, who has direct access to and knowledge of sealed court documents including investigative files, verified details of the investigation, including allegations that the assassination of Clements was ordered by leaders of the white supremacist prison gang. The source also offered new insight into the actions of Evan Ebel, a parolee who officials say killed Clements and pizza delivery driver Nathan Leon in March before being killed in a shootout with deputies in Texas.

El Paso County Judge Jonathan L. Walker, who served in the U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War and was a Colorado public defender, took a leave of absence this month for his own protection after three criminal sources, including two jail informants, warned that 211 Crew leaders planned to kill him, the source said.

Despite information from the source, Colorado State Court Administrator’s spokesman Jon Sarche said no judge from the El Paso County courts has been on leave.

Walker had signed roughly 20 search warrants against numerous members of the white supremacist prison gang allowing investigators to search gang leaders’ homes and cellphone records for evidence potentially tying them to the Clements slaying conspiracy, the source said.

Walker took security precautions, including buying a .380-caliber handgun, moving out of his house and wearing a bulletproof vest, the source said.

During the two weeks of leave, Walker went into hiding after Colorado Springs SWAT team members told him he was a “sitting duck” at his home on a busy street, the source said. Police have provided security for the judge, who is to return to his courtroom Monday morning.

The death threats came to light through a series of contacts between criminal sources and law enforcement in the past month.

“It is true there is a death threat that came out of the (El Paso County) jail,” the source said.

One inmate told a jail lieutenant that gang members were after a prosecutor or judge by the name of Walker. One of the judge’s former legal clients called the judge directly and warned him about the threats.

“These guys are serious,” the source said. “Whether it’s legit or just jail talk to wield influence, I don’t know. Who is going to take a chance on that?”

The informants told jail supervisors that 211 Crew members also were sending out orders to other paroled gang members instructing them to commit new crimes or violate parole rules so that they could return to prison and strengthen their ranks behind bars.

“These guys think differently than you or I,” the source said.

The source said investigators sorting through Ebel’s belongings after his death discovered a list identifying Clements and other officials as possible targets.

Other state authorities, including Gov. John Hickenlooper, have been under special protection since Clements was killed.

Former DOC parole Director Tim Hand said 211 Crew members also targeted him in an assassination plot, according to correspondence between gang members intercepted by investigators.

“My name came out as one of those persons they wanted,” Hand told The Post.

Fort Collins police installed a new alarm system in Hand’s home and assigned officers to sit in a “decoy” car to guard his home, he said. He said he did not personally require an officer escort because he is certified to carry a handgun and can protect himself.

Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, kmitchell@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kmitchelldp

On Tuesday

Part 2: Why investigators think prison gang leaders selected parolee Evan Ebel to kill prisons chief Tom Clements, and why Ebel was headed to Texas, where he was killed in a shootout with cops.