Prosecutors Seek Jail For Felicity Huffman In Admissions Scandal

LOS ANGELES, CA — Prosecutors on Friday sought jail time for Oscar-nominated actress Felicity Huffman along with a $20,000 fine for her role in the college admissions cheating scandal.

In documents filed in Boston federal court, prosecutors also scoffed at defense attorneys' request for house arrest for the "Desperate Housewives" star. Huffman's attorneys had filed court papers asking that the actress get one year of probation and 250 hours of community service. But anything less than jail time would be an injustice, countered prosecutors. The actress was among more than a dozen parents who pleaded guilty in the scandal to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. The actress paid $15,000 to have a proctor correct her daughter's answers on a college-entrance exam.

"In the context of this case, neither probation nor home confinement — in a large home in the Hollywood Hills with an infinity pool — would constitute meaningful punishment or deter others from committing similar crimes," prosecutors wrote.

Huffman's conduct was "deliberate and manifestly criminal," and her "efforts weren't driven by need or desperation, but by a sense of entitlement, or at least moral cluelessness, facilitated by wealth and insularity," prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memorandum

Prosecutors also recommended that the 56-year-old actress, who earned an Oscar nod for "Transamerica," serve one year of supervised release following her stint in federal custody. The sentencing recommendation was less than what prosecutors hinted at in May when they suggested they would seek four months in prison for Huffman.

A judge will decide the matter Sept. 13 in Boston.

Huffman's supporters came out in droves to advocate for her. More than two dozen people submitted letters of support to the court, including Huffman's husband William H. Macy and "Desperate Housewives" co-star Eva Longoria.

In her four-page letter to the judge, Huffman wrote about her shame and remorse. Sh explained that she was driven to participate in the college admission fraud out of "desperation to be a good mother. I talked myself into believing that all I was doing was giving my daughter a fair shot."

She added that she sees "the irony in that statement now because what I have done is the opposite of fair" and feels "a deep and abiding shame over what I have done."

RELATED:

• Felicity Huffman Pleads Guilty In College Scandal, Prison Likely
• Rich & Famous Snared In California College Cheating Scandal

In his letter, Macy wrote that his wife's only interest now is to "make amends and help her daughters heal and move on."

The punishment Huffman is facing is bound to be light compared to the sentence "Full House" actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli could face if they are convicted for their alleged roles in the scandal. Unlike Huffman, who jumped at a plea deal, Loughlin and Giannulli are fighting the charges, which include federal conspiracy and money- laundering.

Dozens of parents and college athletic coaches were implicated in the nationwide bribery scandal, in which wealthy parents paid Newport Beach businessman William Rick Singer thousands of dollars to have their children's entrance-exam scores doctored. In other cases, students were falsely admitted to elite universities as athletic recruits, even though they never had any experience in the sports for which they were being recruited, prosecutors said.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.