Colton Harris-Moore
Encyclopedia
Colton A. "Colt" Harris-Moore (born March 22, 1991) is a criminal and former fugitive from Camano Island, Washington. He was charged with the thefts of small aircraft, a boat, and two cars and in the burglaries of at least 100 private residences in various locations around the Pacific Northwest
of the United States and Canada. He fled to the Bahamas on July 4, 2010, allegedly in a plane stolen from Bloomington, Indiana
. He was indicted
on July 6, 2010, by a U.S. Federal Court in Seattle, Washington
, on charges of transporting another stolen aircraft in that state. Harris-Moore was arrested in Harbour Island, Bahamas, on July 11, 2010, after police shot out the engine of the boat in which he was attempting to flee. Two days later, he was deported
from Nassau, Bahamas
, to Miami, Florida
, and transferred on July 21 to the Federal Detention Center, SeaTac
in Washington State. On June 17, 2011 Harris-Moore pled guilty to seven felony charges against him, and was scheduled to be sentenced in October, but then the sentencing hearing was delayed to December.
He became known as the "Barefoot Bandit" by reportedly committing some of his crimes barefoot
, once leaving behind 39 chalk footprints and the word "c'ya!". Despite the widely-reported nickname, officials said that he more often wore shoes.
, believing he was neglected
or abused
. His father, Gordon Moore, used drugs and was in prison while Colton was a toddler. When Colton was twelve years old, his abusive father walked out after attempting to choke him during an argument at a family barbecue. According to his mother, Pamela Kohler, his stepfather died when he was about seven years old, and from the time Colton was in the first grade, she knew there was "something off about him" – "sort of a disconnection". He wouldn't listen to his teachers, started altercations at school, and would sometimes deliberately break things around the house, Kohler said. According to a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, Harris-Moore said that his mother drank and became mean, breaking his possessions. He started living in the wild at the age of seven, and would break into vacation homes in the area, stealing blankets, food and water before disappearing into the forest for days. His first conviction for stolen property came at age 12, and by the time he was 13, he had three more. He has been diagnosed with depression, attention deficit disorder and intermittent explosive disorder. Each conviction brought a 10-day stay in a detention center, or community service. His mother once said, "Every time he had anything any good, everyone thought he stole it. What does that do to a kid?" In 2003, police found a neighbor's camcorder in his home. Never before sentenced to more than a month, he fled a three-year sentence by walking out of a halfway house
in April 2008.
, and speedboats. It is believed that he learned how to fly small planes by reading aircraft manuals, handbooks, watching a "How to fly a small airplane" DVD, and playing flight simulator
computer games. One plane he stole was a Cessna 182
belonging to KZOK-FM
radio personality
Bob Rivers
, valued at US$150,000. The plane was later recovered from the Yakama Indian Reservation
, though it was so badly damaged that it was a total loss. According to local sheriffs, he would often slip into a home just to soak in a hot bath or steal ice cream from the freezer. Initially, he would steal only what he needed for living in the woods as a survivalist
. Once, he allegedly used a homeowner's computer and credit card to order bear mace
and a pair of US$6,500 night vision goggles
.
On May 30 or 31, 2010, police found a handwritten note and US$100 at a veterinary clinic in Raymond, Washington
, approximately 95 miles (152.9 km) southwest of Seattle. The note read:
In late June 2010, Colton was suspected of vehicle thefts
stretching as far east as Illinois. The trail of suspected thefts attributed to him passes through Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. Police found a 2008 white Toyota Sequoia
in Norfolk, Nebraska
, which was reported stolen in Yankton, South Dakota
. Later that day, several burglaries were reported at Karl Stefan Memorial Airport
, located 1 miles (1.6 km) south of where the SUV was abandoned. A truck owned by the town of Ottumwa, Iowa
was later recovered in Dallas City, Illinois
. On July 4, 2010, a Cessna 400 single-engine plane was reported stolen from the Bloomington, Indiana
airport – it was later found crashed in the shoreline waters of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, again leading to speculation that Harris-Moore was responsible. Shortly afterward, there were several break-ins reported across the island. The Royal Bahamas Police Force
placed wanted posters across the island that featured the teenager. One bartender claimed to have spotted him in a sports bar on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, stating that he drank a beer and left after five minutes. He says that Harris-Moore was wearing a cap over his shaved head and was barefoot.
On July 6, 2010, an indictment
was released from a federal judge
of the U.S. District Court of Western Washington
, which was originally filed in December 2009. This indictment cites Harris-Moore for interstate transport of stolen property/airplane theft, related to a plane stolen from Bonners Ferry, Idaho
that crashed outside of Granite Falls, Washington
. The FBI
placed a $10,000 bounty for information leading to his arrest, and federal agents believed that he was responsible for the recent Indiana theft.
after recovering a 44 foot (13 meter) power boat stolen from a marina on Great Abaco. A police official said the suspect attempted to flee, but police shot out the engine on his boat. Before being arrested, Harris-Moore threw his portable computer into the water and put a gun to his head, but the police talked him out of killing himself. He told the police that he intended to go to Cuba
to throw authorities off his trail and proceed to the Turks and Caicos Islands
. His mother had hoped that he would flee to a country that did not have an extradition
treaty with the United States.
In March 2011, FBI Special Agent Fred Gutt confirmed the reward fund payout: "The $10,000 bounty money was paid out to people directly involved in (Harris-Moore's) capture." The reward money was split among Jordan Sackett, Capt. Ronald Billiot, Capt. Patrick Young, Capt. Ben Johnson and Kenny Strachan, a security guard at the Romora Bay Resort.
to the Bahamas and illegally landing a plane. He was sentenced to three months in jail or a $300 fine. Harris-Moore's mother wired the money to the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, which in turn paid the fine. He was deported the same day via overnight commercial flight, accompanied by Bahamian authorities and United States agents of the FBI to Miami, Florida
. On July 14, Harris-Moore appeared before U.S. Magistrate
Robert Dube to determine his legal representation, which had been hired on his behalf by his mother.
In a hearing on July 16, 2010, in the U.S. District Court of Southern Florida
, Judge Dube ruled that Harris-Moore would be sent to Washington state to face charges there first because he was arrested under their warrant. Harris-Moore waived his right to an extradition hearing. He was held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami
until July 21, when he was transferred by the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System
to the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, Washington
. He was required to wear handcuffs and leg irons while being transported to Washington. A federal judge at the U.S. District Court of Western Washington
in Seattle set a November 15 deadline for prosecutors to have Harris-Moore formally indicted by a federal grand jury
. However, Harris-Moore waived his right to a speedy trial
, permitting both the defense and the prosecution more time to prepare for the case. On November 18, 2010, Harris-Moore pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of interstate transportation of a stolen plane, boat and gun, and of being a fugitive in possession of a firearm and of flying a plane without a pilot's license.
On September 30, 2010, Harley Davidson Ironwing, a self-described associate of Harris-Moore's burglaries, pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
On 17 June 2011 Federal prosecutors recommended that Harris-Moore be sentenced to 6 years in prison. Harris-Moore pleaded guilty to all 7 counts on the Federal indictment. The Washington State Court, however, has recommended that he be sentenced to 10 years in prison for a break-in and burglary near Granite Falls, Washington.
; a Cessna 182 stolen from there crash-landed approximately 260 miles (418.4 km) to the west near Granite Falls, Washington
after a few unsuccessful attempts to land at the small airport there. Police in the San Juan Islands
also found cartoonish, chalk-outlines of feet drawn upon the floor of a grocery store that was broken into in February 2010. Harris-Moore became an internet sensation with a Facebook
fan page set up by Zack Sestak drawing about 60,000 members. Sestak stated that Harris-Moore is "the right criminal at the right time." A local Seattle man started selling T-shirts bearing Harris-Moore's picture with the words, "Momma Tried." Local people from Camano Island also attempted to vent their frustrations through a song, as well as a blog
which included the sale of merchandise and accepted donations to purchase the services of a bounty hunter
.
In April 2010, 20th Century Fox
purchased the film rights to the book Taking Flight: The Hunt for a Young Outlaw, based on a proposal by Bob Friel. Harris-Moore's mother has retained celebrity lawyer O. Yale Lewis to seek control of entertainment interests related to her son. She has also hired John Henry Browne
to handle her son's criminal defense. Under a plea deal, Harris-Moore agreed to forfeit any profits from selling publishing rights to his story.
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
of the United States and Canada. He fled to the Bahamas on July 4, 2010, allegedly in a plane stolen from Bloomington, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He was indicted
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
on July 6, 2010, by a U.S. Federal Court in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, on charges of transporting another stolen aircraft in that state. Harris-Moore was arrested in Harbour Island, Bahamas, on July 11, 2010, after police shot out the engine of the boat in which he was attempting to flee. Two days later, he was deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
from Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, and transferred on July 21 to the Federal Detention Center, SeaTac
Federal Detention Center, SeaTac
Federal Detention Center, SeaTac is a prison operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is located in SeaTac, Washington, near the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, south of downtown Seattle and north of Tacoma, west of the 200th Street exit at the Interstate 5...
in Washington State. On June 17, 2011 Harris-Moore pled guilty to seven felony charges against him, and was scheduled to be sentenced in October, but then the sentencing hearing was delayed to December.
He became known as the "Barefoot Bandit" by reportedly committing some of his crimes barefoot
Barefoot
Barefoot is the state of not wearing any footwear. Being barefoot is regarded as a human's natural state, though for functional, fashion and social reasons footwear is worn, at least on some occasions...
, once leaving behind 39 chalk footprints and the word "c'ya!". Despite the widely-reported nickname, officials said that he more often wore shoes.
Background
Harris-Moore grew up in his mother's house in Camano Island, Washington. Neighbors said they made several calls to Child Protective ServicesChild Protective Services
Child Protective Services is the name of a governmental agency in many states of the United States that responds to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices, such as "Department of Children & Family Services"...
, believing he was neglected
Child neglect
Child neglect is defined as:# "the failure of a person responsible for a child’s care and upbringing to safeguard the child’s emotional and physical health and general well-being"...
or abused
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
. His father, Gordon Moore, used drugs and was in prison while Colton was a toddler. When Colton was twelve years old, his abusive father walked out after attempting to choke him during an argument at a family barbecue. According to his mother, Pamela Kohler, his stepfather died when he was about seven years old, and from the time Colton was in the first grade, she knew there was "something off about him" – "sort of a disconnection". He wouldn't listen to his teachers, started altercations at school, and would sometimes deliberately break things around the house, Kohler said. According to a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, Harris-Moore said that his mother drank and became mean, breaking his possessions. He started living in the wild at the age of seven, and would break into vacation homes in the area, stealing blankets, food and water before disappearing into the forest for days. His first conviction for stolen property came at age 12, and by the time he was 13, he had three more. He has been diagnosed with depression, attention deficit disorder and intermittent explosive disorder. Each conviction brought a 10-day stay in a detention center, or community service. His mother once said, "Every time he had anything any good, everyone thought he stole it. What does that do to a kid?" In 2003, police found a neighbor's camcorder in his home. Never before sentenced to more than a month, he fled a three-year sentence by walking out of a halfway house
Halfway house
The purpose of a halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a...
in April 2008.
Suspected offenses
Harris-Moore is suspected of being responsible for approximately 100 thefts in Washington, Idaho, and Canada, including bicycles, automobiles, light aircraftLight aircraft
A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a maximum gross take-off weight of or less.Many aircraft used commercially for freight, sightseeing, photography and scheduled flights are light aircraft.Examples of light aircraft include:...
, and speedboats. It is believed that he learned how to fly small planes by reading aircraft manuals, handbooks, watching a "How to fly a small airplane" DVD, and playing flight simulator
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
computer games. One plane he stole was a Cessna 182
Cessna 182
The Cessna 182 Skylane is an American four-seat, single-engine, light airplane, built by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. It has the option of adding two child seats, installed in the baggage area....
belonging to KZOK-FM
KZOK-FM
KZOK-FM is a commercial radio station located in Seattle, Washington, broadcasting on 102.5 FM. It is owned by CBS Radio and airs a classic rock music format.-History:KZOK signed on in 1964 as KTW-FM and simulcasted KTW-AM...
radio personality
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Bob Rivers
Bob Rivers
Bob Rivers is a well-known American rock and roll radio on air personality in the Pacific Northwest as well as a prolific producer of parody songs, most famous for his Christmas song parodies....
, valued at US$150,000. The plane was later recovered from the Yakama Indian Reservation
Yakama Indian Reservation
The Yakama Indian Reservation is a United States Indian reservation located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains in southern Washington. It is the homeland of the Yakama tribe of Native Americans....
, though it was so badly damaged that it was a total loss. According to local sheriffs, he would often slip into a home just to soak in a hot bath or steal ice cream from the freezer. Initially, he would steal only what he needed for living in the woods as a survivalist
Survival skills
Survival skills are techniques a person may use in a dangerous situation to save themselves or others...
. Once, he allegedly used a homeowner's computer and credit card to order bear mace
Mace (spray)
Chemical Mace is a tear gas in the form of an aerosol spray which propels a lachrymatory agent mixed with a volatile solvent. It is sometimes used as a self-defense device...
and a pair of US$6,500 night vision goggles
Night vision goggles
A night vision device is an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users...
.
On May 30 or 31, 2010, police found a handwritten note and US$100 at a veterinary clinic in Raymond, Washington
Raymond, Washington
Raymond is a city in Pacific County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,975 at the 2000 census and decreased 3.1% to 2,882 at the 2010 census. The town's economy is based on logging and fishing, together with a limited amount of tourism....
, approximately 95 miles (152.9 km) southwest of Seattle. The note read:
In late June 2010, Colton was suspected of vehicle thefts
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
stretching as far east as Illinois. The trail of suspected thefts attributed to him passes through Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. Police found a 2008 white Toyota Sequoia
Toyota Sequoia
The Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV produced by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in Princeton, Indiana. It is derived from the Toyota Tundra pickup truck but differs in its use of an independent rear suspension. It is priced between the mid-size 4Runner and Toyota's flagship Land Cruiser...
in Norfolk, Nebraska
Norfolk, Nebraska
Norfolk is a city in Madison County, Nebraska, United States, 113 miles northwest of Omaha and 83 miles west of Sioux City at the intersection of U.S. Routes 81 and 275. The population was 24,210 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Nebraska. It is the principal city of the...
, which was reported stolen in Yankton, South Dakota
Yankton, South Dakota
Yankton is a city in, and the county seat of, Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 14,454 at the 2010 census. Yankton was the original capital of Dakota Territory. It is named for the Yankton tribe of Nakota Native Americans...
. Later that day, several burglaries were reported at Karl Stefan Memorial Airport
Karl Stefan Memorial Airport
Norfolk Regional Airport , also known as Karl Stefan Memorial Field, is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Norfolk, in Madison County, Nebraska, United States...
, located 1 miles (1.6 km) south of where the SUV was abandoned. A truck owned by the town of Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
was later recovered in Dallas City, Illinois
Dallas City, Illinois
Dallas City is a city in Hancock and Henderson counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 1,055 at the 2000 census.The Henderson County portion of Dallas City is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. On July 4, 2010, a Cessna 400 single-engine plane was reported stolen from the Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
airport – it was later found crashed in the shoreline waters of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, again leading to speculation that Harris-Moore was responsible. Shortly afterward, there were several break-ins reported across the island. The Royal Bahamas Police Force
Royal Bahamas Police Force
The Royal Bahamas Police Force is the national law enforcement agency of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The RBPF is located within the portfolio of the Ministry of National Security. The police force was established on 1 March 1840. The force is headquartered on the hill on East Street, New...
placed wanted posters across the island that featured the teenager. One bartender claimed to have spotted him in a sports bar on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, stating that he drank a beer and left after five minutes. He says that Harris-Moore was wearing a cap over his shaved head and was barefoot.
On July 6, 2010, an indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
was released from a federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
of the U.S. District Court of Western Washington
United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of the state of Washington: Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan,...
, which was originally filed in December 2009. This indictment cites Harris-Moore for interstate transport of stolen property/airplane theft, related to a plane stolen from Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry is a city in and the county seat of Boundary County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census.-History:...
that crashed outside of Granite Falls, Washington
Granite Falls, Washington
Granite Falls is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,364 at the 2010 census.-History:Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that is now Granite Falls was used by Native Americans to portage their canoes between fishing grounds.The first permanent...
. The FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
placed a $10,000 bounty for information leading to his arrest, and federal agents believed that he was responsible for the recent Indiana theft.
Capture
On July 11, 2010, Harris-Moore was captured just before dawn at Harbour Island, Bahamas. Local officers picked up his trail in EleutheraEleuthera
Eleuthera is an island in The Bahamas, lying 50 miles east of Nassau. It is very long and thin—110 miles long and in places little more than a mile wide. According to the 2000 Census, the population of Eleuthera is approximately 8,000...
after recovering a 44 foot (13 meter) power boat stolen from a marina on Great Abaco. A police official said the suspect attempted to flee, but police shot out the engine on his boat. Before being arrested, Harris-Moore threw his portable computer into the water and put a gun to his head, but the police talked him out of killing himself. He told the police that he intended to go to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
to throw authorities off his trail and proceed to the Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the Caribbean, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre.The Turks and...
. His mother had hoped that he would flee to a country that did not have an extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
treaty with the United States.
In March 2011, FBI Special Agent Fred Gutt confirmed the reward fund payout: "The $10,000 bounty money was paid out to people directly involved in (Harris-Moore's) capture." The reward money was split among Jordan Sackett, Capt. Ronald Billiot, Capt. Patrick Young, Capt. Ben Johnson and Kenny Strachan, a security guard at the Romora Bay Resort.
Criminal proceedings
Harris-Moore pleaded guilty on July 13, 2010, to illegal entryIllegal entry
Illegal entry is the act of foreign nationals arriving in or crossing the borders into a country in violation of its immigration law.Migrants from nations that do not have automatic visa agreements, or who would not otherwise qualify for a visa, often cross the borders illegally in some areas like...
to the Bahamas and illegally landing a plane. He was sentenced to three months in jail or a $300 fine. Harris-Moore's mother wired the money to the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, which in turn paid the fine. He was deported the same day via overnight commercial flight, accompanied by Bahamian authorities and United States agents of the FBI to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. On July 14, Harris-Moore appeared before U.S. Magistrate
United States magistrate judge
In the United States federal courts, magistrate judges are appointed to assist United States district court judges in the performance of their duties...
Robert Dube to determine his legal representation, which had been hired on his behalf by his mother.
In a hearing on July 16, 2010, in the U.S. District Court of Southern Florida
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida....
, Judge Dube ruled that Harris-Moore would be sent to Washington state to face charges there first because he was arrested under their warrant. Harris-Moore waived his right to an extradition hearing. He was held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami
Federal Detention Center, Miami
Federal Detention Center, Miami is a prison operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is located east of Miami International Airport at the corner of NE. 4th Street and N. Miami Avenue...
until July 21, when he was transferred by the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System
Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System
The Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System , nicknamed "Con Air", is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with the transportation of persons in legal custody between prisons, detaining centers, courthouses, and other locations. It is the largest prison...
to the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, Washington
Federal Detention Center, SeaTac
Federal Detention Center, SeaTac is a prison operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is located in SeaTac, Washington, near the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, south of downtown Seattle and north of Tacoma, west of the 200th Street exit at the Interstate 5...
. He was required to wear handcuffs and leg irons while being transported to Washington. A federal judge at the U.S. District Court of Western Washington
United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of the state of Washington: Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan,...
in Seattle set a November 15 deadline for prosecutors to have Harris-Moore formally indicted by a federal grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
. However, Harris-Moore waived his right to a speedy trial
Speedy trial
Speedy trial refers to one of the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution to defendants in criminal proceedings. The right to a speedy trial, guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment, is intended to ensure that defendants are not subjected to unreasonably lengthy incarceration prior to a fair...
, permitting both the defense and the prosecution more time to prepare for the case. On November 18, 2010, Harris-Moore pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of interstate transportation of a stolen plane, boat and gun, and of being a fugitive in possession of a firearm and of flying a plane without a pilot's license.
On September 30, 2010, Harley Davidson Ironwing, a self-described associate of Harris-Moore's burglaries, pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
On 17 June 2011 Federal prosecutors recommended that Harris-Moore be sentenced to 6 years in prison. Harris-Moore pleaded guilty to all 7 counts on the Federal indictment. The Washington State Court, however, has recommended that he be sentenced to 10 years in prison for a break-in and burglary near Granite Falls, Washington.
Notoriety
Harris-Moore became known as the "Barefoot Bandit" or as the "Barefoot Burglar", by reportedly committing some of his crimes while barefoot. In Fall 2009, police found footprints at an airport hangar in Bonners Ferry, IdahoBonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry is a city in and the county seat of Boundary County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census.-History:...
; a Cessna 182 stolen from there crash-landed approximately 260 miles (418.4 km) to the west near Granite Falls, Washington
Granite Falls, Washington
Granite Falls is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,364 at the 2010 census.-History:Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that is now Granite Falls was used by Native Americans to portage their canoes between fishing grounds.The first permanent...
after a few unsuccessful attempts to land at the small airport there. Police in the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
also found cartoonish, chalk-outlines of feet drawn upon the floor of a grocery store that was broken into in February 2010. Harris-Moore became an internet sensation with a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
fan page set up by Zack Sestak drawing about 60,000 members. Sestak stated that Harris-Moore is "the right criminal at the right time." A local Seattle man started selling T-shirts bearing Harris-Moore's picture with the words, "Momma Tried." Local people from Camano Island also attempted to vent their frustrations through a song, as well as a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
which included the sale of merchandise and accepted donations to purchase the services of a bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
.
In April 2010, 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
purchased the film rights to the book Taking Flight: The Hunt for a Young Outlaw, based on a proposal by Bob Friel. Harris-Moore's mother has retained celebrity lawyer O. Yale Lewis to seek control of entertainment interests related to her son. She has also hired John Henry Browne
John Henry Browne
John Henry Browne is a criminal defense attorney practicing in Seattle, Washington.-Background:Browne has represented defendants in a number of high-profile criminal cases...
to handle her son's criminal defense. Under a plea deal, Harris-Moore agreed to forfeit any profits from selling publishing rights to his story.
External links
- Forensic Psychological Evaluation: Colton Harris-Moore – Denton W. Young, Ph.D. (June 15, 2007)
- Letter from Pamela A. Kohler, mother of Colton Harris-Moore – filed with Island County, WashingtonIsland County, WashingtonIsland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. In 2010 census, its population was 78,506. Its county seat is Coupeville, while its largest city is Oak Harbor....
Court (June 27, 2007) - Letter from Sandra E. Puttnam, aunt of Colton Harris-Moore – filed with Island County, WashingtonIsland County, WashingtonIsland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. In 2010 census, its population was 78,506. Its county seat is Coupeville, while its largest city is Oak Harbor....
Court (June 27, 2007)