‘I am extremely remorseful’: Fake kidnapping victim Carlee Russell avoids jail time, must pay $17K

Carlee Russell plea

Carlee Russell, left, enters the Jefferson County Courthouse on March 21, 2024, where she plead guilty to two misdemeanors after she faked her own kidnapping last summer. (WVTM/YouTube)

Carlee Russell, the Alabama woman who set off a frenzy when she tricked the nation into thinking she was the victim of a violent kidnapping only to later reveal she made the whole thing up, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors on Thursday.

A judge suspended her yearlong prison sentence and gave her a year of probation and a $17,000 fine. Russell, 26, apologized for her actions during the hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse. She said she was fighting emotional issues at the time.

“I am extremely remorseful for the panic, fear and various range of negative emotions that were experienced across the nation. I want to specifically acknowledge and take accountability for the pain and embarrassment that I inflicted upon my family, my church family, friends, neighbors, community, and all of those who were directly involved in search efforts for me,” Russell said through tears, according to AL.com.

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