COCKRELL GUILTY ON TWO COUNTS OF SOLICITING MURDER.

Byline: Michael Gougis Staff Writer

A Sherman Oaks financier already serving a prison term for fraud was convicted Tuesday in a bizarre plot to destroy freeway bridges, an oil refinery and the Ventura County Courthouse.

A Van Nuys Superior Court jury found Frank Boyd Cockrell, 55, guilty of two counts of solicitation of murder, not guilty of a third, and deadlocked on a fourth count.

``My client is somewhat puzzled by the verdicts. He's very disappointed and didn't expect this result,'' said defense attorney Robert Schwartz.

District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said prosecutors were disappointed that Cockrell was not convicted of all charges, and would evaluate whether to retry him on the count on which jurors deadlocked.

Prosecutors allege Cockrell plotted to exact revenge on Ventura County District Attorney Michael D. Bradbury and other officials and destroy evidence in the fraud case against him. The plan was to blow up a freeway and oil refinery to occupy police officers and firefighters, then destroy the courthouse.

Cockrell paid an undercover federal agent $2,000 as a down payment on the plot and provided photos of the targets.

The two counts on which Cockrell was not convicted stemmed from his alleged plan to have a Valley businessman and his wife kidnapped and robbed to help pay for the bombing plot, then to have the couple killed.

At his August sentencing, Cockrell, who is already serving a 10-year term for grand theft, money laundering and tax evasion, could be sentenced to an additional 18 years in prison.

Michael Gougis, [phone]

michael.gougis(at)dailynews.com