Felicity Huffman has been sentenced to 14 days in jail, according to The Associated Press.
Huffman was in Boston’s federal court Friday for her role in the college admissions scandal. Back in May, Huffman pleaded guilty to fraud charges, saying she paid $15,000 to have an SAT proctor fix her daughter’s SAT scores, helping her get into college.
Judge Indira Talwani sentenced Huffman to two weeks in jail with a $30,000 fine, one year of supervised release and 250 hours of community service, according to CNN.
“I am deeply sorry to the students, parents, colleges and universities who’ve been impacted by my actions,” Huffman said during the court appearance through tears before the sentencing, according to reporters in the courthouse, including BuzzFeed News reporter Julia Reinstien. “I am sorry to my daughter Sophia, and Georgia, and I am sorry to my husband Will. I have betrayed them.”
During Friday’s court appearance, the prosector slammed Huffman for saying she did the crime because she wanted to help her daughter, according to Reinstein’s report on the court case. Huffman said she did so in a letter to the judge last week.
“With all due respect to the defendant, welcome to parenthood. There’s no instruction manual. Parenthood is exhausting and stressful, but that’s what every parent goes through,” the prosector said, according to Reinstein.
During the court case, federal prosecutors recommended Huffman spend one month in jail, Reinstien explained.
“Imprisonment is needed because this was a considered, deliberate, and purposeful criminal act,” according to Reinstein.
Huffman’s lawyer contested that she deserved probation as a sufficient punishment for her role in the scandal, arguing her wealth shouldn’t be a factor.
“I’d never suggest Huffman be treated differently because she is wealthy. But by the same token, it can’t be the case that she be treated more harshly because of her financial circumstance,” he said, according to Reinstein. “That’s not fair.”
Huffman — who wore a calf-length black dress — was joined by her husband, William H. Macy, who sat in the front row, Reinstien reported.
Huffman also recounted her interactions with her daughters over the scandal. She said her daughter Sophia criticized her mother for involving herself in the admissions process.
“I can only say, I am so sorry Sophia,” Huffman said. “I was frightened, I was stupid, and I was so wrong. I am deeply ashamed of what I’ve done.”
”I take full responsibility for my actions,” she told the judge. “I will deserve whatever punishment you give me.”
Before Friday’s sentencing, prosecutors hoped for Huffman to receive between one and fourth months in prison. Huffman’s attorneys contested that she should receive one year of probation, 250 hours of community service and a $20,000 fine, according to the Deseret News.
“Huffman (pleaded guilty) early, when everyone else was pleading not guilty, requesting discovery, trying to mount a defense,” Louis Shapiro, a federal defense attorney in Los Angeles, told Insider. “She’s going to be rewarded for that.”
Huffman previously sent a letter to the judge ahead of her sentencing, explaining her thoughts on the scandal, according to the Deseret News.
“I don’t write this letter to you in any way to justify my wrongdoing, my guilt or to avoid conscious acceptance of the consequences,” she wrote.
”In my desperation to be a good mother I talked myself into believing that all I was doing was giving my daughter a fair shot,” the letter said.
”I see the irony in that statement now because what I have done is the opposite of fair. I have broken the law, deceived the educational community, betrayed my daughter, and failed my family.”
She said she didn’t look for the scandal.
”The factual story is that I didn’t go shopping for a college counselor to find out how to rig a SAT score. I didn’t even know such a scheme existed,” she wrote.
Huffman was one of two celebrity mothers included in the scandal. The other, “When Calls the Heart” star Lori Loughlin, pleaded not guilty in April. Her next court date — which she doesn’t have to appear at — will be in October.
As the Deseret News reported, some experts suggest Loughlin could change her plea deal based on what happened with Huffman.