Felicity Huffman did not hide her reaction after being sentenced to 14 days in prison for her involvement in the nationwide college admissions scandal.
The 56-year-old actress appeared teary-eyed and despondent as she exited a federal court in Boston on Friday, September 13. Her husband, William H. Macy, held her hand. Huffman wore a black dress and navy cardigan, while the Shameless star, 69, coordinated in a black suit and tie.
In addition to her brief prison term, the Desperate Housewives alum was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, adhere to a year of supervised release and complete 250 hours of community service. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud in May following her March arrest.
According to court documents, Huffman made “a purported charitable contribution of $15,000 … to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her eldest daughter.” She and Macy are parents of daughters Sophia, 19, and Georgia, 17.
The When They See Us star released a statement following her sentencing. “I accept the court’s decision today without reservation. I have always been prepared to accept whatever punishment Judge Talwani imposed,” she said. “I broke the law. I have admitted that and I pleaded guilty to this crime. There are no excuses or justifications for my actions. Period.”
She added: “I have learned a lot over the last six months about my flaws as a person. My goal now is to serve the sentence that the court has given me. I look forward to doing my community service hours and making a positive impact on my community.”
Former United States Attorney Neama Rahmani told Us Weekly on Friday that Huffman’s 14-day ruling is “almost unheard of in federal prison sentences because sentences are always handed down in months or years, not days.”
Scroll to see more photos of Huffman after her court appearance.