Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman are potentially facing jail time in their college admissions scandal, even if they each cut a plea deal.
According to TMZ, an unnamed official close to the case told the outlet that the prosecutors will likely be recommending prison time regardless of the outcome. Both women would be facing up to five years behind bars.
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“You can’t have people being treated differently because they have money. That’s how we got to this place. Every defendant will be treated the same,” the source said.
However, jail time is not up to the prosecutors or the U.S. Attorney, it will be up to the judge presiding over the case to decide.
The big scandal first made headlines last month, with both actresses being arrested in connection with allegedly issuing brides to get their children into elite colleges.
For her part, Huffman and her spouse — Shameless star William H. Macy — “made a purported charitable contribution of $15,000 to KWF to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter,” the criminal complaint affidavit reads. “Huffman later made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time, for her younger daughter, before deciding not to do so.”
Macy, however, was not charged with a crime in the investigation, as it is said there was not enough physical evidence against him.
Coincidentally, Macy gave an interview earlier to Parade in January, and the actor spoke at length about the college application process and lamented how “stressful” it had been.
“My daughters are extraordinary women. They’re really a joy. They’re both thriving. They’ve got a life ahead of them, but you can exhale a little bit. They’re 16 and 18 years old, and they’re good people. My daughter Sofia, the oldest, is going to LAHSA [Los Angeles High School of the Arts]. She’s thriving there. I know she’s going to make a go of it in the business, which I support. I’ve seen her; she’s good, she’s really good,” he said.
“She’s going to go to college. I’m the outlier in this thing. We’re right now in the thick of college application time, which is so stressful,” Macy added. “I am voting that once she gets accepted, she maybe takes a year off. God doesn’t let you be 18 twice. I know from casting, if you need a 25-, 26-year-old actress, there are a lot of them out there and they’re really good. But if you need a 15-, 16-year-old actress, it’s tough.”
“Sofia looks young. I think this is an opportunity for her. But it’s just my opinion, and we’ll see what she wants to do, what Felicity thinks and how the chips fall,” he also said. “My daughter Georgia, she’s interested in politics, political science and pursuing that. She’s in a very academic school and killing it.”
Huffman and Loughlin are due back in court this month.
