It's Getting So Even Child Molesters Can't Be Trusted. What's the World Coming To?"

A federal prosecutor from Florida who authorities say flew to Michigan for a sexual encounter with a 5-year-old girl tried to hang himself in his jail cell Thursday but was stopped in time, the sheriff said.

John D.R. Atchison, 53, used a sheet in an attempted hanging around 4 a.m., said Sanilac County Sheriff Virgil Strickler.

The married father of three is an assistant U.S. attorney based in Pensacola, Fla., and president of a youth sports association in Gulf Breeze.

He was arrested Sunday and was initially placed on a suicide watch, but the watch was lifted at the request of the defense, after Atchison assured a U.S. magistrate Tuesday he wouldn't harm himself.

Atchison later assured the magistrate that if he were given a loaded pistol, he would only use it for hunting, sports shooting, and, maybe, depending on shower security, self defense. The magistrate stated that he would take his request under advisement, along with Atchison's previous requests for the return of his belt and laces and a filled prescription for sleeping pills, which Atchison assured the magistrate he would take only as prescribed.

The magistrate then ordered a chin-up bar installed to accommodate Atchison's desire to keep his upper body toned and ordered an extra-long, twin bed flat sheet, so that Atchison's feet wouldn't be cold at night.

When reached for comment on today's events, Magistrate Matlock issued the following statement: "Rut Row."