From Desperate Housewife to desperate inmate.Felicity Huffman has been sentenced to two weeks behind bars for paying $15,000 to get her daughter help cheating on the SATs. Huffman was one of around 50 people swept up in the college admissions scandal. Meanwhile, all eyes are on fellow celeb Lori Loughlin, who is facing more serious charges and refused a plea deal, unlike Huffman.
Huffman pleaded guilty and prior to her sentencing Friday begged the judge to let her off without jail time, claiming she found motherhood “bewildering.” Her husband William H. Macy and Desperate co-star Eva Longoria were among the 27 people who also wrote to the judge testifying to her good character.
Huffman wept ahead of her sentencing before Judge Indira Talwani.
“I am sorry to my daughter Sophie, my daughter Georgia, my husband William. I have betrayed them,” Huffman began. “Sophia was in the car next to me, she was nervous, asking if we could get ice cream. I thought … I can just turn around … and to my eternal shame, I didn’t.”
She added, “I can only say I am so sorry, Sophia. I was frightened, I was stupid, and I was so wrong. I am deeply ashamed at what I have done. I have inflicted more damage than I could imagine.”
The Boston judge sentenced her to 14 days behind bars, ordered her to pay a $30,000 fine and serve a year of supervised release. She was also told to do 250 hours of community service. Huffman will surrender to a federal prison on October 25th.
When she left court with her husband Macy, she was silent and appeared stoic. Later, she released a statement.
"I broke the law. I have admitted that and I pleaded guilty to this crime. There are no excuses or justifications for my actions. Period," Huffman said in the statement. "I would like to apologize again to my daughter, my husband, my family and the educational community for my actions. And I especially want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices supporting their children."
She continued: "I can promise you that in the months and years to come that I will try and live a more honest life, serve as a better role model for my daughters and family and continue to contribute my time and energies wherever I am needed. My hope now is that my family, my friends and my community will forgive me for my actions."
Huffman’s legal team is hoping to get her into a cushy jail, according to reports. They have requested that she spend two weeks behind bars at a minimum security prison in northern Cali.
“It’s the closest to Ms. Huffman’s residence,” Murphy said inside the packed courtroom.
If she ends up there, she’ll face a daily inspection at 6:30 am, with a lights out at 10 pm. Still,Forbeshas dubbed it one of America’s 10 “cushiest” prisons.
Meanwhile,Lori Loughlin, the other Hollywood star caught up in the scandal, pleaded not guilty and is facing up to 40 years behind bars if convicted.
Loughlin, 54, allegedly gave $500,000 to have her daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, eased into University of Southern Cal.
“Lori is aware of Felicity’s sentence, and is processing what that means for her,” a source told People. “Her only move now is to take this to court and to prove that she is not guilty of what she’s charged with.”
The source continued: “If she’s found guilty, she will go to jail; that is clear. And if another deal is offered to her, which I don’t think it will be, she will go to jail. Her only chance of avoiding jail is to beat these charges. Lori is a smart woman; she understands that. She’s scared and upset, but she’s resolved to be strong and to fight this. She will do what she has to do to protect herself and her family.”
She and her husband Mossimo Giannulli, who has also pleaded not guilty, are headed to court for a status conference October 2nd.