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Felicity Huffman Sentenced to Two Weeks in Jail For College Cheating Scandal

And even that is more than her attorneys expected

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Malcolm Venable

Felicity Huffman, one of the TV stars embroiled in the college admissions cheating scandal that broke in March, was sentenced to 14 days in prison by Judge Indira Talwani in a Boston courtroom on Friday.

Prosecutors wanted Huffman to spend a month in prison while her lawyers argued for no time with a year of probation. Huffman, 56, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy and fraud in May for paying $15,000 to ensure her daughter scored well on the SAT.

"I am deeply sorry to the students, parents, colleges, and universities that have been deeply impacted by my actions," Huffman said in the courtroom before sentencing, as husband William H. Macy and their two daughters looked on. "I will deserve whatever punishment you give me."

It's believed that Huffman's guilty plea and expressions of remorse may have helped her get a lighter punishment than may befall others netted in the scandal, including Lori Loughlin, who was arrested and released on a $1 million bond after feds charged her and her husband, Mossimo Gianulli, with allegedly paying over $500,000 in bribes to the University of Southern California to have their two daughters admitted to the school. Loughlin still faces sentencing and was fired from Hallmark show When Calls the Heart.

Along with the sentence, Huffman will also have to pay a $30,000 fine, serve 250 hours of community service, and remain on probation for a year. She released a statement after sentencing; the full statement is below.

I accept the court's decision today without reservation. I have always been prepared to accept whatever punishment Judge Talwani imposed. 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.

I would like to apologize again to my daughter, my husband, my family and the educational community for my actions. And I especially want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices supporting their children.

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. I also plan to continue making contributions wherever I can well after those service hours are completed.

I can promise you that in the months and years to come that I will try and live a more honest life, serve as a better role model for my daughters and family and continue to contribute my time and energies wherever I am needed.

My hope now is that my family, my friends and my community will forgive me for my actions.

Felicity Huffman

Actress Felicity Huffman, escorted by her husband William H. Macy, makes her way to the entrance of the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse Sept. 13, 2019 in Boston, where she was sentenced for her role in the college admissions scandal.

Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images