CHRISTIANSBURG -- Michael Morva will spend eight years in prison, it was ruled Friday after a bizarre hearing that included what a judge called "startling" testimony that Morva planned to harm several officials if he got jail time on a set of attempted burglary charges.

Morva, 27, will face a hearing next week on an unrelated charge of conspiring to help a prisoner escape custody.

Police have said he helped his brother, 24-year-old William Morva, escape from a deputy's custody at Montgomery Regional Hospital in August. William Morva is accused of killing two people during and after his escape, which prompted Virginia Tech to cancel classes on the first day of the fall semester.

On Friday, Michael Morva was in Montgomery County Circuit Court on charges that he tried to break into the Freedom First Credit Union in Blacksburg and into the bank's ATM in July 2005.

He pleaded no contest in September to charges of conspiring to commit statutory burglary, attempted statutory burglary and attempted grand larceny.

His defense attorney, Angi Morris, had filed a motion to withdraw those pleas but withdrew that motion as Friday's hearing began.

Convictions on attempted burglary charges often result only in probation, Morris told the court. But Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch said he considered Morva dangerous and pushed for a 30-year sentence.

"He is fixated -- fixated -- on retribution and revenge toward the government at any cost," Finch said.

A Roanoke County Jail inmate testified that he was in the same pod as Morva in the Roanoke City Jail when Morva told him he would retaliate if given jail time.

The man said Morva threatened to go after the judge, the prosecutor, his lawyer or their children or other family members.

The man said Morva told him that, in his five years as a Marine, he was well-trained in sniper-style shooting and hand-to-hand combat.

He said he sent an unsolicited letter to Finch's office about Morva's statements. No deals were made in exchange for his testimony, he and Finch said.

Deputy Crystal Lloyd testified that while supervising Montgomery County Jail inmates in August, she overheard Morva tell other inmates "that he believed in an eye for an eye and he doesn't believe in turning the other cheek."

Morva was later moved from the Montgomery County Jail to the Roanoke jail.

When called to the witness stand, Morva denied making any of those statements.

"I just don't understand why these people are lying," he said. "I am not a threat to society. I am not a bad person."

He said other inmates often asked him about his brother and he told them his brother was the one who believed in "an eye for an eye."

Morva suggested others heard him talking about his brother and assumed he was talking about his own beliefs.

Parts of Morva's testimony stunned some of those who attended his hearing.

When sworn in, he swore "by the God of Israel and by the God of Abraham" to tell the truth.

He referred to rising up out of his body after he was badly beaten in jail in October and seeing heaven, where his family members were joyful and dancing. He said Jesus told him, "Now is not the time."

And Morva twice addressed Finch directly, telling him first that he thought Finch was "looking for his five minutes of fame" and later that he was evil.

"I do get a sense that you yourself are a satanic man," he told Finch. "You are supporting lies. You are supporting terrorism."

Morva said he felt like he's being terrorized.

"It is true I tried to break into an ATM machine," but that's the only bad thing he has done, Morva said.

Eyes red-rimmed from crying, Emily Happel told the court she has never known her brother to display violence.

If he were released, she said, he would live with her and work for the business she and her husband own.

Circuit Judge Ray Grubbs called a recess before sentencing Morva, saying he wanted to review the evidence.

He returned 45 minutes later and sentenced Morva to 30 years in jail with all but eight suspended.

After Morva's release, he will be on supervised probation for 20 years.

"The court has heard some very startling testimony," Grubbs said. If the witnesses are to be believed, he said, Morva could be a serious risk to others.

Grubbs said he found it difficult to conclude that every witness misheard Morva's statements in jail.

As Morva, wearing glasses and a green-and-white jumpsuit, was led out of the courthouse into a waiting van, he told reporters, "I forgive them for what they've done to me." He said his Lord had commanded him to.