The former Food Network host accused of putting a hit out on his wife is close to a plea bargain, and best case scenario for him ... he could end up with probation.



Juan-Carlos Cruz is accused of hiring 3 homeless guys to slash his wife's throat with a pair of box cutters.

TMZ broke the story ... alleged victim Jennifer Campbell was suicidal over not being able to have a baby.  But suicide is a mortal sin in Campbell's religion, so authorities believe Cruz was attempting to execute a murder/suicide out of mercy.

Law enforcement sources tell us Campbell is solidly supporting her husband, and police and prosecutors have compassion for the couple.   We're told there have been active plea bargain negotiations and it's possible a plea could be reached before Tuesday's hearing ... though we're told it's going to be hard to work out all of the details before then.

We're told the likely disposition of the case is that Cruz will plead no contest to solicitation of murder and the attempted murder charge will be dropped. 

The sentence for solicitation of murder is anywhere from 9 years in prison to probation.  One source familiar with the case tells TMZ the likely dispo is 1 year in jail followed by probation. 

We're told the couple plans to stay married.

We'll be in court Tuesday.

TMZ has learned ...Juan-Carlos Cruz could cop a plea in his attempted murder case as early as June 23.

TMZ has learned Oprah Winfrey is trying to snag former Food Network host Juan-Carlos Cruz for a jail chit chat.



Cruz is currently behind bars after being arrested for allegedly hiring three homeless guys to kill his wife.  TMZ broke the story ... Cruz's wife -- Jennifer Campbell -- was suicidal because the couple was infertile but could not take her life because it's a mortal sin in the Catholic Church. We're told even the cops and prosecutors believe Cruz may have hired the homeless guys as an act of mercy, that would be followed by Cruz taking his own life.

The story certainly got Oprah's attention.  We're told Oprah's peeps reached out to Cruz's reps for an interview. 

We're told Cruz hasn't responded ... so far.

Sources tell TMZ the L.A. County District Attorney's Office is open to plea bargaining the attempted murder case against former Food Network host Juan-Carlos Cruz.



Law enforcement sources tell us the D.A. and the cops are well aware of the Shakespearean drama between Juan-Carlos and his wife, Jennifer Campbell. TMZ broke the story that Campbell has been despondent for years over the couple's inability to have kids -- and she told members of her church and others she wanted to end her life, but her religion views suicide as a mortal sin.

Sources say Juan-Carlos was making a feeble attempt to end his wife's life and then kill himself, by trying to hire 3 homeless men to murder his wife. We're told the cops and prosecutors believe this was Cruz's MO.


We're told because of the circumstances ... in a plea bargain the D.A. would be inclined to dismiss the attempted murder charge.  In return, we're told, the D.A. would be open to a guilty or no contest plea to solicitation to commit murder, which carries a 3 to 9-year sentence.

If Cruz got the low end of the sentence, with good behavior he would have to serve around a year and a half ... not a bad resolution.