Colton Harris-Moore Pleads Guilty Today

Colton Harris-Moore, aka “the Barefoot Bandit,” pleaded guilty to federal charges today, including the burglary of Islanders Bank on Orcas Island on September 5, 2009, using tools stolen from Ace Hardware in Eastsound.

San Juan County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord, who attended the hearing in Seattle today, said that he had removed the Islanders’ Bank crime from the county list of charges against Harris-Moore, but it was included in the Federal charges.

Those charges include:

1. Bank burglary
2. Interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft
3. Interstate and foreign transportation of a firearm
4. Fugitive in possession of a firearm
5. Piloting an aircraft without a valid pilot’s certificate
6. Interstate transportation of a stolen vessel
7. Interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft

On May 10, the county filed 16 criminal counts against Harris-Moore, including the alleged theft of two airplanes, three boats and numerous burglaries of homes and business in the San Juan Islands between 2008 and 2010.

At today’s proceedings, by pleading guilty, Harris-Moore became liable for fines, imprisonment, restitution to his victims and forfeiture of his own property, according to court documents. Court papers described his crime spree that took him from the San Juan Islands to British Columbia, Canada, back to the San Juans and then south and east through the United States from Oregon to Indiana, where he admitted to stealing a plane and flying to the Bahamas, where he was apprehended. He agreed that the total amount of loss due to his actions was $1,409,438.

As part of the plea agreement by which he pleaded guilty, Harris-Moore agreed to a money judgment in the amount of $959,438 and to relinquish any “profits or proceeds from publicity related … to his criminal activity.”

Seattle Times reporter Mike Carter wrote today:

In addition to the federal charges, Harris-Moore also faces more than two dozen state charges in Island and San Juan counties.

San Juan County Prosecutor Randall Gaylord, who attended Friday’s news conference, said the next move will be to consolidate the pending state charges, likely in Island County Superior Court.

The charges will likely include a first-degree burglary charge yet to be filed in Snohomish County, which involves a firearm. That would be the most serious charge Harris-Moore will face in state court and could land him in prison for more than 10 years.

Gaylord would not discuss the status of plea negotiations in the state cases, but said it is possible Harris-Moore could face more prison time than he will on the federal charges.

(To read Carter’s full report, go to seattletimes/localnews.colton18.html)

“He didn’t say much, but he said ‘guilty’ seven times, ” said Gaylord.