Sherri Papini seen RUNNING out of jail on bond after ‘branding, harming, and starving herself to stage bogus kidnapping’
SHERRI Papini was seen rushing out of a California jail Tuesday after being released by a federal judge on a $120,000 bond.
Video caught the 39-year-old mother leaving the Sacramento County Jail in a gray hoodie covering her hair while wearing a facemask.
Once she's in the arms of her family, Papini's face was covered by clothing and is seen running to evade reporters' questions until she is put into a car.
As part of the conditions for her release, Papini must surrender her passport and firearms, restrict her travel to the eastern district of California and undergo psychiatric treatment.
Prosecutors argued that Papini was a flight risk and that “even putting an ankle bracelet on her” wouldn’t be able to ensure her appearance in court.
"In addition, this defendant has shown she has been willing in the past to go to extremes to maintain and conceal her flight including branding herself, harming herself and starving herself to maintain the falsity of her flight." The prosecutor said.
However, Papini’s attorney Michael Borges stated that the mother was at a piano lesson with her children when she was arrested.
Borges argued that officers lured Papini out of where the lesson was being held under “a ruse about her vehicle.”
“She was grabbed after being told she was under arrest. She took a few steps toward her children and was forcibly detained,” said Borges.
The prosecutor said that Papini had screamed “NO” when she was being arrested and ran.
"She was not able to get very far before the agent did manage to arrest her but she did resist, she had to go, I believe partially, to the ground. At some point during the arrest, her children did exit the building and see that arrest," the prosecutor said.
Papini had been held at the Sacramento County Jail for nearly a week before the judge ruled her release.
Prosecutors accuse the 39-year-old mother of planning a sophisticated and elaborate ruse when she allegedly faked her own abduction, staying at an ex-boyfriend’s house instead.
The mom-of-two vanished while out jogging in Redding, California on November 2, 2016, but mysteriously reappeared 22 days later on Thanksgiving Day, claiming to have been abducted and held captive by two gun-wielding Hispanic women.
No arrests were ever made in the case with police struggling to identify a motive for the seemingly random crime.
'SELF INFLICTED INJURIES'
Cops investigating the case said in 2016: “Sherri appeared battered and bruised, her hair had been cut to shoulder length and she had a brand on her right shoulder.”
Keith told GMA: “My first sight was my wife in a hospital bed.”
'SELFISH ACTS'
In an interview with The Sun, Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson blasted Papini for wasting the more than half a decade of police time and resources that were spent investigating her "bogus claims."
Johnson also called Papini "selfish" and "callous" for sowing needless fear in the local community, adding that he has "zero sympathy" for her in the wake of her arrest.
"Shasta County is a pretty tight-knit community and a safe community, so when Sherri reported this abduction - or should I say charade - it really caused a lot of anxiety," Johnson said.
"People were afraid to go out for jogs or to be out in public alone.
"They thought we had abductors and sex traffickers lurking around here at a profound rate."
As the case gained national attention, Johnson said his department also came under increasing scrutiny for how its officers were handling the case.
"It's okay to be questioned and second-guessed at times if the case is legitimate," he said, "but when we come to find out it was all a charade it's really frustrating for us."
Johnson continued: "So I've got to tell you, from the point of when she is now having been charged, we're really happy that a person who wasted so much money and resources, and who through her selfish acts created so much hysteria in our community, is now being held accountable for what she's done."
TEEN RUNAWAY
During her teen years, it was reported that Papini ran away from home.
In 2000, mom Loretta Graeff alleged her daughter, who was then 21, had been harming herself and blaming it on her, according to a 911 call log obtained by the Sacramento Bee.
It also claimed that she wanted advice because Papini was reportedly planning on moving back in with her mom.
Details in the police report were thin as it was never revealed if Papini had actually harmed herself, according to ABC.
Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Kropholler told the outlet that calls had been made because the family was seeking advice.
Papini has since been charged with making false statements and engaging in mail fraud.
Phillip A. Talbert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, said: "Ultimately, the investigation revealed that there was no kidnapping and that time and resources that could have been used to investigate actual crime, protect the community, and provide resources to victims were wasted.";
Shasta County sheriff Michael Johnson added: "Everyone involved in this investigation had one common goal: to find the truth about what happened on Nov. 2, 2016, with Sherri Papini and who was responsible."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The mom faces a mail fraud charge and could get up to 20 years in jail.
She faces up to five years in prison after being accused of lying to officers.
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