Carlee Russell Dodges Jail Time With A Guilty Plea And $18K In Restitution Fees 

Carlee Russell has pleaded guilty and ordered to pay close to $18,000 in restitution fees after lying about her own kidnapping in 2023. 

The Alabama native appeared in court on March 21 and was sentenced with 12 months of supervised probation after being charged with two misdemeanors for making false statements to police in July 2023. Russell pleaded guilty to the charges and, in addition, has to serve 12 months of community service and evidence of continued mental health counseling as well as paying $17,974.88 restitution to the city of Hoover.

Back in October 2023, Russell entered a not guilty plea on charges of lying to law enforcement and reporting a false incident. After going missing for two days, she told authorities she had been kidnapped and then admitted to police through her attorney that she made it all up. A municipal judge found her guilty, with a recommendation of a year behind bars and restitution fees. Her legal team found the restitution to be fair but appealed the conviction to avoid jail time. 

During sentencing, state prosecutor Clark Morris argued that Russell should be given jail time, despite only being charged with misdemeanors. “This case has always been about respect for law enforcement and respect for this community as a whole,” Morris said, according to NPR. 

“Ms. Russell faked a kidnapping, duped the community, and contrived this situation. We, judge, still don’t know, to this day where she was, how she got there, what she was doing, and with whom she was doing it.”

Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis shared similar sentiments. He expressed “frustration” that Russell could only be charged with misdemeanors and proposed state legislators enhance the law when someone falsely reports a kidnapping or another violent crime.

For the first time, the 26-year-old spoke in court, tearfully apologizing for her actions. “I made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various emotional issues and stress,” Russell said. “I’m extremely remorseful for the panic, fear and various range of negative emotions that were experienced across the nation.” 

The then 25-year-old had the country on high alert after calling 911 on July 12, 2023, to report a toddler on Interstate 459 in Alabama – just a day before she disappeared. Russell later returned home on July 15, 2023, and told police a man and woman took her after she pulled over to check on the toddler. She told detectives that she was blindfolded and taken to a house where she was forced to get undressed.

However, investigators had a hard time finding evidence of a child walking on the side of the road. 

During the kidnapping claim investigation, police found Russell searched for Amber Alerts, bus tickets, and the movie “Taken” — a 2008 movie starring Liam Neeson about a father saving his daughter from kidnappers — on her phone just hours before she went missing. Lawmakers heard Derzis’ pleas. Since the incident, legislators proposed a bill, yet to be voted on, that would make false reports to law enforcement claiming imminent danger, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Those convicted would also be ordered to pay restitution and serve any prison sentence day-for-day.

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