Man convicted of kidnapping Kansas judge sentenced to life

GARDEN CITY, Kan. – A man accused of holding a Kansas judge hostage for several hours has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a news release Friday that 34-year-old Jason Linn Nichols, of Garden City, was sentenced for terrorism and several other charges.

Prosecutors say Nichols forced his way into the judge’s Garden City home in May 2016. While holding the judge hostage, Nichols called the Kansas secretary of revenue and demanded that the department provide him with different kinds of information related to state taxes.

Nichols was found guilty in July of terrorism, kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, criminal threat and criminal restraint.

Kansas law says committing a felony to influence government policy or a unit constitutes terrorism.