Sherri Papini Released from Incarceration

UPDATE


Aug 26, 2023 4:15 PM CDT

A California woman named Sherri Papini, who orchestrated her own abduction and self-inflicted injuries as part of a hoax, has been released from federal prison. According to a report by KTXL, she has been assigned to a halfway house in Sacramento. The Federal Bureau of Prisons will supervise her case and ensure that she receives the necessary community services to aid her reintegration into society. Her full release date is set for October 29th.

Sep 19, 2022 6:55 PM CDT

Sherri Papini, the woman from California who fabricated her own kidnapping incident in 2016, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, which is more than double the sentence requested by prosecutors. CNN reports that Papini, who is 40 years old, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and lying to a federal agent earlier this year. Prosecutors had sought an eight-month prison term, while Papini’s defense lawyers had requested one month in prison and seven months of home detention. She could have faced up to 25 years in prison. Papini disappeared after going for a jog near her home in northern California in 2016. She resurfaced three weeks later, claiming to have been kidnapped and tortured by two Hispanic women.

In 2020, investigators discovered that DNA found on the clothing Papini was wearing during her disappearance matched that of her ex-boyfriend from southern California. He admitted that Papini had spent the entire three weeks with him and revealed that her injuries were self-inflicted. US District Judge William Shubb opted for a longer sentence than what the prosecutors had recommended due to the significant impact of Papini’s actions on multiple individuals, including the law enforcement officers involved in the search for her and the Latino community, which unfairly bore the burden of suspicion. The Associated Press reports that Judge Shubb stated, “If she had not been caught, she’d still be living the lie.” He hopes that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to others.

Following Papini’s guilty plea, her husband filed for divorce and sought custody of their two children. Papini apologized to those who suffered because of her actions, expressing readiness to repent and concede. In a sentencing memo, Papini’s lawyer argued that her troubled past had influenced her behavior, claiming that she had already endured the loss of her reputation. William Portanova, her attorney, described the revelation of her inner struggles as an exceptionally harsh public ordeal. According to People, Papini has also been ordered to pay approximately $310,000 in restitution to the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, and law enforcement agencies.