'Barefoot Bandit' gets 6 1/2 years jail
Source: Agencies |
January 29, 2012, Sunday
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A US federal judge sentenced "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore to 6 1/2 years in prison for his infamous two-year, international crime spree of break-ins, and boat and plane thefts that ended in 2010.
Harris-Moore hopscotched his way across the United States, authorities said. He flew a plane stolen in Washington state to the San Juan Islands, stole a pistol in British Columbia and took a plane from Idaho to Washington state, stole a boat there to go to Oregon, and took a plane in Indiana and flew to the Bahamas, where he was arrested.
The 20-year-old earned his nickname because he committed several of the crimes without wearing shoes, and he attracted fans across the nation for evading police.
But on Friday, Harris-Moore apologized to his victims shortly before US District Judge Richard Jones imposed the sentence, which will be served concurrently with state prison time.
He particularly apologized for stealing planes, saying his arrogance led him to keep alive his dream of flying.
"What I did could be called daring, but it is no stretch of the imagination to say that am lucky to be alive ... absolutely lucky," he said. "I should have died years ago."
Defense attorney John Henry Browne said he expects Harris-Moore to be out of prison in about 4 1/2 years, accounting for the 18 months he's already been in custody.
Federal prosecutors declined to comment on how much time he might serve, saying that will be up to the Bureau of Prisons.
Outside the courthouse, Harris-Moore's mother, Pam Kohler, said her son gave her a letter in court, but she refused to talk to reporters. She hit a television crew's microphone and camera with her purse.
Before Friday's sentencing, defense attorneys said federal prosecutors released cherry-picked excerpts from e-mails in an effort to make Harris-Moore appear callous and self-aggrandizing.
He called the Island County sheriff "king swine," called prosecutors "fools." He also described his feats - stealing and flying planes with no formal training - "amazing."
But Harris-Moore's lawyers claim the full e-mails show he is sorry for what he did.
Harris-Moore hopscotched his way across the United States, authorities said. He flew a plane stolen in Washington state to the San Juan Islands, stole a pistol in British Columbia and took a plane from Idaho to Washington state, stole a boat there to go to Oregon, and took a plane in Indiana and flew to the Bahamas, where he was arrested.
The 20-year-old earned his nickname because he committed several of the crimes without wearing shoes, and he attracted fans across the nation for evading police.
But on Friday, Harris-Moore apologized to his victims shortly before US District Judge Richard Jones imposed the sentence, which will be served concurrently with state prison time.
He particularly apologized for stealing planes, saying his arrogance led him to keep alive his dream of flying.
"What I did could be called daring, but it is no stretch of the imagination to say that am lucky to be alive ... absolutely lucky," he said. "I should have died years ago."
Defense attorney John Henry Browne said he expects Harris-Moore to be out of prison in about 4 1/2 years, accounting for the 18 months he's already been in custody.
Federal prosecutors declined to comment on how much time he might serve, saying that will be up to the Bureau of Prisons.
Outside the courthouse, Harris-Moore's mother, Pam Kohler, said her son gave her a letter in court, but she refused to talk to reporters. She hit a television crew's microphone and camera with her purse.
Before Friday's sentencing, defense attorneys said federal prosecutors released cherry-picked excerpts from e-mails in an effort to make Harris-Moore appear callous and self-aggrandizing.
He called the Island County sheriff "king swine," called prosecutors "fools." He also described his feats - stealing and flying planes with no formal training - "amazing."
But Harris-Moore's lawyers claim the full e-mails show he is sorry for what he did.
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