A woman accused of plotting to kill her ex-husband in Aspen is on trial in federal court this week.

Gwen Bergman, 52, is charged with mailing money across state lines for the commission of murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit the murder-for-hire of her ex-husband, John LaCouture. She faces a possible sentence of 20 years in prison if she is convicted of both felony counts.

A grand jury indicted Bergman in 2006 on the counts. The indictment states that on April 1, 2004, she withdrew $10,000 from a bank in Rifle; on April 2, 2004, she withdrew the same sum from a bank in Glenwood Springs; and on April 3, 2004, she withdrew another $10,000 from a bank in Basalt.

Prosecutors say the $30,000 was money she was awarded from her mother’s retirement fund that she attempted to use to pay a hitman to kill LaCouture, who obtained custody of their son and had filed a restraining order against her.

Court documents allege that Bergman contacted an online security company called Armed Protective Service where owner Jerry Eden set her up with retired Denver police officer Peter Adams. Prosecutors allege that she asked the men to get rid of her husband and disguise his death as a drug deal gone awry.

They allege that Bergman was repeatedly asked whether she really wanted to go through with it.

“I gave her ample opportunity with every single phone call,” Eden said in federal court this week, as reported by The Denver Post. “Are you sure you want this deal done? Once this is done you will have no father for your child.”

It was unclear in the trial’s early stages what Bergman’s defense will be.

Bergman’s trial started in Denver on Monday and is expected to end on Friday. U.S. District Judge Walker D. Miller is presiding over the bench trial.

hoop@aspendailynews.com