‘Desperate Housewives’ Star Felicity Huffman Reportedly ‘Very Emotional’ Ahead of Sentencing

Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman is reportedly feeling “very emotional” before she is sentenced for her role in the college admissions scandal. Prosecutors have asked that Huffman be sentenced to one month in jail, 12 months of supervised release and fined $20,000. Huffman agreed to plead guilty to the charges.

A source told Entertainment Tonight on Friday that Huffman, 56, is “preparing for whatever the sentence will be [next] Friday.” She is “very emotional,” but is trying to stay strong for her family.

The source said Huffman and husband William H. Macy have “a very strong relationship, and although they want this ordeal to be behind them, they fully understand and respect the legal process.”

The two put “total trust” in their legal team and plan to stay out of the spotlight and spend time with family before sentencing, the source said.

On Friday, news broke that the U.S. Attorney plans to ask the judge in the case to sentence Huffman to a month in prison, a $20,000 fine and 12 months of supervised release. Her attorneys are requesting one year of probation, 250 hours of community service and a $20,000 fine per Huffman’s original agreement to plead guilty in May.

In March, Huffman was among 50 people indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in the largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by federal prosecutors. According to the indictment, Huffman paid $15,000 to have her daughter Sofia’s SAT scores doctored. Prosecutors said Sofia’s final SAT score was almost 400 points higher than her Practice SAT score. Huffman allegedly considered doing the same for her younger daughter, Georgia, but chose not to.

In a letter addressed to the judge, Huffman said she felt “deep and abiding shame over what I have done,” reports PEOPLE.

“Please, let me be very clear, I know there is no justification for what I have done. Yes, there is a bigger picture, but ultimately it doesn’t matter because I could have said ‘No’ to cheating on the SAT scores,” Huffman wrote. “I unequivocally take complete responsibility for my actions and will respectfully accept whatever punishment the court deems appropriate.”

The actress added, “I keep asking myself, why did I do this? Why did I say yes to a scheme of breaking the law and compromising my integrity? What interior forces drove me to do it? How could I abandon my own moral compass and common sense?”

Others close to Huffman wrote letters to the judge to show support, including her Desperate Housewives co-star Eva Longoria. In her letter, Longoria said Huffman helped her on the show, as she was still new to the industry.

“I worked with Felicity for nearly a decade of my life on a television show. Seeing her every day of every week for nearly 15 hours a day,” Longoria wrote. “When I began the TV show, I was very new to the business and industry as a whole. Felicity was the first one to take me under her wing.”

Huffman was not the only celebrity indicted in the scandal. Full House star Lori Loughlin was as well, but Loughlin chose to plead not guilty in her case.

Huffman will be sentenced on Sept. 13.

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