Carlee Russell, Alabama woman who faked her own kidnapping, pleads guilty to charges and avoids jail time

By Maxime Tamsett, CNN

(CNN) — Carlee Russell, the Alabama woman who admitted to faking her own kidnapping last year, apologized in court Thursday after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges of making a false police report.

“I made a grave mistake while trying to fight through various emotional issues and stress,” Russell, 26, said inside a Bessemer courtroom during her sentencing.

“I am extremely remorseful for the panic, fear, and various range of negative emotions that were experienced across the nation,” she said. “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 those who were directly involved in search efforts for me.”

She was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, 100 hours of community service and $17,974.88 in restitution to the city of Hoover, Alabama.

Russell acknowledged she is receiving mental health counseling and was told by the judge to continue the counseling as a condition of her probation.

Russell captured the nation’s attention when she mysteriously disappeared in July 2023 after calling 911 to report a child walking along a highway. Officers arrived at the site and found her vehicle and personal items, but Russell was nowhere to be found. After a nearly 49-hour police search, Russell returned home and said she had been abducted, held hostage and escaped her captors.

Authorities continued investigating and found Russell’s web searches included things like, “Do you have to pay for an Amber Alert?” and “How to take money from a register without being caught.”

She later admitted the kidnapping was all a hoax.

In October, a municipal court judge found Russell guilty of two misdemeanor charges of false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident.

She had initially pleaded not guilty to those charges, and her attorneys said at the time they planned to appeal her case.

Later that month, the Jefferson County Circuit Court scheduled a jury trial for March according to court records. But earlier this month, the circuit court scheduled Russell’s plea hearing.

Russell also apologized Thursday to authorities and personnel who were involved in the search for her.

“I also extend my sincerest apologies to the Hoover Police Department and every other law enforcement agency and personnel for the position that I put them in and for the resources used,” she said.

“I wholeheartedly can say that I never had any malicious intent to hurt anyone, and I pray you will feel my sincerity and that as I prepare to pick up the pieces and go on to restore my life, that you will witness the fruition of grace,” she added.

After the sentencing, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis told reporters he was disappointed with the sentence.

“I’m very disappointed in the decision not to give any jail time. She gave an apology today, and unfortunately, to me, it’s like seven, eight months late. I don’t know why we didn’t hear that back in July,” the police chief said.

When asked about the restitution, Derzis said, “The real figure should probably be in the 40s – at least $40,000-$50,000 for all the money that we spent.”

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CNN’s Alta Spells, Shawn Nottingham Steve Almasy contributed to this report.