Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days behind prison bars and a $30,000 fine in a Boston courthouse Friday for her actions in a sweeping college admissions scandal. The Desperate Housewives star pleaded guilty to paying admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer $15,000 in order to cheat on her daughter Sophia’s SAT scores.
Ahead of the hearing, prosecutors suggested Huffman, 56, receive one month in prison and a $20,000 fine. Her lawyers asked for a sentence of one year of probation, 250 hours of community service and the fine of $20,000.
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During the sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen said that “there is no excuse for what she did.” Citing a letter Huffman wrote to the judge roughly a week ago, in which Rosen said, “With all due respect to the defendant, welcome to parenthood.” Huffman addressed the judge before her sentencing saying, “I am sorry to you,” before apologizing to her husband and daughters. Her attorney also added that she “knew what she did was wrong” but that when the chance came a second time, she was “able to say no.”
“I am deeply ashamed of what I have done,” Huffman told the judge according to CNN. “At the end of the day I had a choice to make. I could have said ‘no.’”
As her sentence was laid out, the judge told the court that “trying to be a good mother doesn’t excuse this,” according to CNN.
Huffman, along with fellow actress Lori Loughlin, was one of 50 people named in the sweeping scandal earlier this year dubbed Operation Varsity Blues.
Huffman arrived at court earlier in the day arm-in-arm with husband William H. Macy. Huffman had roughly 13 loved ones supporting her in court Friday, with Macy sitting in the first-row center aisle with two other loved ones. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling was also in the center aisle next to Macy.
Macy, 69, was not charged in the scandal because it’s unclear if he was aware of his wife’s alleged activities. In 2004, the Shameless star told Entertainment Tonight that he felt inclined to give his two daughters a “leg up” in show business.
“One can help your children in this business, and the nepotism works, and I have no problems with it,” he said at the time. “If I can give them a leg up, I absolutely would. It’s a great way to make a living. It really is.”
Photo credit: JOSEPH PREZIOSO / Contributor / Getty
