(CNN) -- A Michigan man and woman convicted of trying to extort $680,000 from "Glee" actor John Stamos by threatening to sell compromising photos were each sentenced to four years in prison Friday. 

U.S. District Judge R. Allan Edgar in Marquette said the photos never existed, according to a federal prosecutor. 

Scott Edward Sippola, 31, and Allison Lenore Coss, 24, could have faced up to nine years in prison for convictions of conspiracy and interstate communications to extort money. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Lochner said a statement from Stamos was read in court. In it, Stamos said he had been slandered and his reputation impugned. Lochner said the judge ascertained that the conspiracy wasn't just a "foolish lark." 

In a presentence filing, Sippola admitted his conduct "was awful." 

"I sought to exploit my knowledge of the personal weaknesses of a perfect stranger for my own undeserved financial gain," Sippola wrote. 

"The case was made by the fact that these defendants made threats to damage his [Stamos'] reputation in order to have him pay them," Assistant U.S. Attorney Maarten Vermaat said after the July verdict in Marquette, Michigan. 

According to CNN affiliate WLUC, prosecutors said that Coss and Sippola told Stamos that if he didn't give them the money, they would sell embarrassing pictures of him allegedly using drugs to tabloid publications. 

Vermaat said the defendants sent about 40 e-mails to Stamos threatening to sell the photos. FBI agents got involved and started monitoring Stamos' e-mail account and "eventually communicated by cellular telephone with the defendants pretending to be Mr. Stamos' business manager." Sippola and Coss were arrested in December 2009 at an airport, a pre-arranged dropoff spot for the money. 
Who was extorted?
Is he an actor?
What shows has he been in?
How many people were in the plot?
What did they have?
What was in the pictures?
How many messages did they send to the star?
When were they arrested?
Did the star face them at trial?
What state was the trial held?
What agency investigated the crime?
Where were the extorters captured?
What were they going to do with the pictures?
How were they caught?
Was the star's image damaged?
How many years in jail will they serve?
John Stamos
John Stamos
yes
 A Michigan man and woman convicted of trying to extort $680,000 from "Glee" actor John Stamos by threatening to sell compromising photos were each sentenced to four years in prison Friday. 
Glee
Glee
Two
Scott Edward Sippola, 31, and Allison Lenore Coss, 24, could have faced up to nine years in prison for convictions of conspiracy and interstate communications to extort money. 
compromising photos
compromising photos
him allegedly using drugs
him allegedly using drugs
about 40
about 40
December 2009
December 2009
no
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Lochner said a statement from Stamos was read in court
Michigan
Michigan
FBI
FBI 
airport
airport
sell
 sell 
FBI agents got involved and started monitoring Stamos' e-mail account and "eventually communicated by cellular telephone with the defendants pretending to be Mr. Stamos' business manager."
FBI agents got involved and started monitoring Stamos' e-mail account and "eventually communicated by cellular telephone with the defendants pretending to be Mr. Stamos' business manager."
yes
In it, Stamos said he had been slandered and his reputation impugned
four
four 