CBS News is reporting that Juan-Carlos Cruz, formerly the host of Food Network's “Calorie Commando” has been arrested in Santa Monica after allegedly trying to hire a homeless man to kill his wife. Cruz was apparently scouting Santa Monica for an interested party, but was taken into custody after three of the homeless men reported it to the police.

There has not been confirmation thus far that the target was his wife, despite the reports from TMZ. Though when a TMZ reporter asked one of the homeless men if they were propositioned to strangle Cruz's wife, the man replied “Yeah, because stabbing leaves too much blood. He didn't want a mess.”

After being tipped, police put a recording device into one of the homeless men's pockets, so as to catch Cruz in the act. But the strangest part of the story? If convicted, Cruz will only face up to nine years of incarceration. Nine years? For those keeping score at home, that means that trying to hire people to kill your wife gets you six less years than this guy got for trying to break back into prison.

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