SANTA ANA – The wife of a Sunny Hills High School teacher admitted today that she conspired with a former boyfriend to plant a shotgun and drugs in her husband's Jeep Cherokee to get him arrested.

Devon Eileen Abbott, 33, of Mira Loma, pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to falsely charge a crime, false imprisonment by fraud, conspiracy to commit a crime, and misdemeanor transportation of marijuana.

But she avoided a prison term – which had been requested by prosecutors – after her husband, history teacher Gregory Abbott, asked for leniency.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals said he considered giving Devon Abbott prison time until he considered the husband's request and learned that the couple are back together.

Instead, Goethals ordered Devon Abbott to serve one year of home confinement, if she is approved by the Orange County Probation Department, or six months in the Orange County Jail.

Soloman Brian Silver, 42, of Maine – Devon Abbott's former boyfriend – wasn't so lucky.

He was sentenced to three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to similar charges plus one felony possession of a firearm by a felon.

Devon Abbott and Silver conspired in May 2008 to hide a shotgun, marijuana and prescription pills in Gregory Abbott's car in order to set him up for an arrest for crimes he did not commit, according to Deputy District Attorney Keith Bogardus.

An investigation revealed that Devon Abbott and Silver sent several text messages back and forth to each other, including some in which Devon Abbott provided Silver with the location of her husband's car and his whereabouts, according to police.

Fullerton police arrested Gregory Abbott on May 27, 2008, at Sunny Hills High after an anonymous caller claimed that the teacher was a drug dealer with a gun in the trunk of his car.

Two days later, police cleared Greg Abbott and targeted his estranged wife and her then-boyfriend after the teacher contended he had been set him up as part of Devon Abbott's ploy to win custody of the their two children.

Devon Abbott and Silver were arrested in June 2008 after an investigation by Fullerton and Anaheim police.

The Abbotts were married in 1997 and separated in 2005, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

Defense attorney Kenneth L. Morrison said this morning that the Abbotts are reconciled and are focused on the well-being of the two children.

"They want to put this behind them," he said.

Devon Abbott, the wife of Greg Abbott, talks to her attorney Mike Coffey as the court date was set for her trial at the Orange County Superior Court North Justice Center in June.

ROD VEAL, FILE PHOTO

Devon Abbott declined to comment.