"When asked how he was able to convince Mr. Staake to participate, Mr. Martin stated he (Mr. Martin) was a very good manipulator," the court document said. Martin also promised money and a Vermont farm as a hideout, the affidavit said.

Martin remains under investigation and is in fact named in the affidavit as a conspirator in the Vermont plot. The affidavit was filed in Dona Ana County for seeking an arrest warrant against Staake.

But Martin hasn't been formally charged in any of the plots, McDonald said.

"For us, there's no rush (for charges) as far as Martin is concerned because he's serving life sentences anyway," McDonald said.

Media across the world have been calling McDonald.

"It's been freaking crazy," he said. "But the good thing is we nipped this thing in the bud and we caught it before anyone was hurt.

"We're definitely thankful -- we owe it to the guard at the correctional facility who caught these phone calls and got on it right away. That's how we were able to catch these guys," McDonald said.