SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge on Friday sentenced “Barefoot Bandit” Colton Harris-Moore to 6 1/2 years in prison for his infamous two-year, international crime spree of break-ins, and boat and plane thefts that ended in 2010.
Harris-Moore hopscotched his way across the United States, authorities said. He flew a plane stolen in Washington state to the San Juan Islands, stole a pistol in British Columbia and took a plane from Idaho to Washington, stole a boat there to go to Oregon, and took a plane in the central state of Indiana and flew to the Bahamas, where was arrested.
The 20-year-old earned his nickname because he committed several of the crimes without wearing shoes and attracted fans across the nation for his ability to evade police.
But on Friday, Harris-Moore apologized to his victims shortly before U.S. Judge Richard Jones imposed the sentence, which will be served concurrently with state prison time.
He particularly apologized for stealing planes, saying his arrogance led him to keep alive his dream of flying.
“What I did could be called daring, but it is no stretch of the imagination to say that am lucky to be alive … absolutely lucky,” he said. “I should have died years ago.”
Defense attorney John Henry Browne said he expects Harris-Moore to be out of prison in about 4 1/2 years, accounting for the 18 months he’s already been in custody. Federal prosecutors declined to comment on how much time he might serve, saying that will be up to the Bureau of Prisons.
Outside the courthouse, Harris-Moore’s mother, Pam Kohler, said her son gave her a letter in court but declined to comment further.
Before Friday’s sentencing, defense attorneys said federal prosecutors selectively released excerpts from emails in an effort to make Harris-Moore appear callous and self-aggrandizing.
He called