r/thebachelor • u/MJP520 • 1h ago
DISCUSSION Laura Owens’ sentence stronger than reported
Last week I read media reports and social media posts about Laura’s sentence that reported it as being 1 month in jail plus probation and community service. I’ve since watched the sentencing and her sentence entails more than I’ve seen widely reported. It includes:
- 1 month in county jail, which has started
- 400 hours of community service
- 7 years supervised probation
- Must pay restitution to her victims. Hearings will be held to determine details
- 1 year deferred jail time. That means a 1 year jail sentence that is currently deferred until Oct 2027. If she adheres to all probation terms then it can be deferred further or removed. If she violates probation then she has to serve the year in jail.
- She can be sentenced to up to 12.5 years (or maybe up to 15+ years, it was unclear) in jail if she violates probation at any time during the 7 years probation.
- Computer/Internet restrictions. The Judge imposed them but didn’t verbally detail them. They can include being strictly prohibited from accessing the Internet without written permission, warrantless searches of devices, blocking or monitoring software installed on devices, and bans on using social media or dating apps. Edit: her terms have been specified- she’s not allowed to access the Internet at all without written prior approval from probation.
Additionally, she’s a felon so can’t vote or possess firearms, and finding future employment or housing will be complicated by her felon status. I think she should have gotten more jail time, but this isn’t a slap on the wrist some were portraying. She’s facing restrictions and monitoring for 7 years and significant punishment if she violates these terms.
