A North Texas man is accused of unwittingly trying to hire the Johnson County sheriff to kill his estranged wife and her boyfriend.

Tab Denny Johnson, 53, was indicted last week on two counts of solicitation of capital murder.

According to court documents, Sheriff Bob Alford posed as a hit man during a phone call with Johnson, who was jailed on charges of assaulting his estranged wife.

"Johnson told Alford he would pay $8,000 for one murder and $10,000 for both of the murders," the arrest-warrant affidavit said. "Johnson also agreed to provide two all-terrain vehicles and a boat that could be held by Alford until the agreed payment price for the murders had been paid by Johnson."

Johnson reportedly told investigators that he was shocked the sheriff had tricked him.

According to court documents, Johnson had asked inmates in his cell block to kill her and her boyfriend. An inmate tipped off a sheriff's deputy, who contacted the Texas Rangers in early January.

The informant told Johnson that Alford was a hit man.

Johnson ended up having four phone conversations with the sheriff and gave him a note with instructions on where to find his wife.

In their final conversation on Jan. 7, Alford told Johnson that the slayings had been carried out.

Alford cannot comment on the case because will be called to testify at trial.