Montgomery Co. man who mailed ricin to romantic rival sentenced to prison

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- The Montgomery County man who confessed to mailing the deadly poison ricin to a romantic rival learned his fate today.

A Bucks County judge sentenced 20-year-old Nicholas Helman to 20 to 40 years in state prison.

Helman pleaded guilty to attempted murder, attempted aggravated assault, risking a catastrophe and other crimes.

He admitted sending a scratch-and-sniff birthday card laced with ricin to his former girlfriend's new love interest in Warminster.

He was arrested in March 2014 after police found ricin in his Hatboro home.

Investigators say he intended to kill the new boyfriend.

Helman also faced charges of solicitation of murder and terroristic threats.

Authorities say Helman tried to get a fellow inmate to retaliate against prosecutors, witnesses and a detective in the case.