Getty Actress Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli exit the Boston Federal Court house in 2019.
Lori Loughlin, who was a lead character in Hallmark’s hit series When Calls the Heart until the college admissions scandal broke, has checked into prison. She was originally given until November 19 to report to prison, but checked in early.
She Was Given Until November 19 to Report to Prison, But Checked In More than Two Weeks Early
In May, she and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty to charges of paying bribes for their daughters to get into college at the University of Southern California. She was required to report to the medium-security prison, FCI Victorville, no later than November 19 at 2 p.m., Us Magazine reported. Deadline also reported that she would be reporting to jail on November 19.
November 19 was her deadline, but Loughlin chose to check into prison earlier than that on October 30. AP reported that a prosecutor released a statement about her early date:
The parties recently agreed that the defendant can report to prison on October 30, 2020, instead of on November 19, 2020. The defendant has further agreed that, during her two month sentence, she will not seek an early release from prison on COVID-related grounds
Loughlin had requested to serve her time in a facility in Victorville, California, Us Magazine shared. Although it’s a medium-security prison, it has a low-security camp of 300 where she will be.
When she first arrives, she’ll be quarantined for 14 days after being screened for COVID-19, AP reported.
California’s Victorville Federal Correctional Institute is often used for white-collar criminals and celebrities, Elle reported. However, one former inmate, Holli Coulman, told Elle that it won’t be an easy stay. She said most inmates won’t have sympathy for her and she’ll need to “learn the ropes” on her own.
Coulman said, “This is not some club fed. Lori is stepping into a very awful time to have to go [to prison].”
She said the newer inmates must clean the bathrooms and they live in bunk rooms. Inmates wake up at 5:30 a.m. and beds must be made “military style.” Older computers are available for five cents a minute, and inmates can take music lessons. Because of COVID-19, she said the dining halls are closed and inmates are given bagged meals. They aren’t allowed visitors.
She Will Be in Prison for Two Months & Miss Both Thanksgiving & Christmas
Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison plus two years of supervised release in August. This will also include 100 hours of community service and a $150,000 fine. Her husband was sentenced to five months of prison — three months longer than Loughlin. He will also have two years of supervised release but will need to serve 150 more hours of community service than his wife.
A prosecutor’s statement noted that she wouldn’t be seeking early release due to COVID-19, which means that if she serves her full two months then she will miss both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She Had Wanted To Serve Her Time Separately from Her Husband
Loughlin and Giannulli had entered their pleas virtually in May. A source told Us Magazine in May that Loughlin had hoped to be in prison at a different time than her husband, so one parent could be available for their children. They said: “Lori and Moss don’t want to serve their prison sentences at the same time. Among the reasons, even though their daughters are adults, Lori wants one parent to be free to provide emotional support to the girls. Lori’s concern all along has been Isabella and Olivia Jade.”
Giannulli will be serving time at FCI Lompoc, a low-security facility, NBC Boston reported. NBC Boston also noted that both Loughlin and Giannulli were told to begin their sentences no later than November 19.