An inmate who argued his prison sentences for a kidnapping and a separate kidnapping plot were excessive has lost that bid and will serve up to 50 more years behind bars.

Anthony Marcus Davis, 31, was serving a 20½–to-41-year term for kidnapping a Mount Joy family when he plotted in 2014 the kidnapping of a Dauphin County district judge, and possibly his wife. The plan involved a ransom demand exchange for Davis’ release from prison.

The plot was never carried out, but two of Davis’ former cellmates testified that Davis ordered them to do so, providing detailed instructions.

Following a jury’s verdict last year, a Dauphin County judge sentenced Davis to 10 to 20 years for the plot – to be served in addition to the original sentence for the Mount Joy kidnapping.

The Pennsylvania Superior Court, last week, upheld the conviction, meaning Davis will serve at least 20 more years for the crimes.

Davis argued the jury erred in its conviction and that the consecutive 10-to-20-year term was excessive.

The state court denied both those claims, finding that Davis’ extensive history of violent crime – and failure to change his ways while in prison – warranted the consecutive term.

In 2005, Davis kidnapped a Mount Joy couple and their 12-year-old son. The father was shot in the back as he ran to escape. All three survived.

At sentencing, Davis laughed at the judge and the victims, as they spoke of the harrowing experience. Davis later blew a kiss to the prosecutor.

Lancaster County Judge David Ashworth ordered Davis be removed from the courtroom, then ordered the sentence.

In its 17-page opinion, the state Superior Court found that Davis has been a violent criminal since his juvenile days.

Rehabilitative efforts have failed, the high court opined, because Davis plotted to commit the “same violent, terrifying crime for which he was already imprisoned.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright