Laura Owens Sentenced: What Are Her Strict Probation Conditions?

Clayton Echard, who starred in Season 26 of The Bachelor, found himself at the center of a major scandal when Laura Owens (daughter of radio host Ronn Owens) falsely claimed she was pregnant with his child. He wasn’t the only person targeted, and now that she’s been sentenced, folks are interested in her probation conditions.

The Crime

Fox News reported that Owens, who hails from Arizona, was “convicted of faking pregnancies and fabricating medical records to target former ‘Bachelor’ star Clayton Echard and other men.”

She pleaded guilty back in August to four felony charges, including perjury and fraudulent schemes. Well, the judge sentenced Owens on Friday, and she got “30 days in jail, with seven years of probation.”

Why People Discuss The Probation

It’s important that she sticks with her probation conditions because if she doesn’t, she could end up serving as much as 12.5 years behind bars.

When Fox 10 Phoenix shared the story on Instagram, many Bachelor fans were taken aback because it seemed that Laura Owens didn’t get much of a sentence at all.

One person asked in the comments section, “What are the terms of her probation?”

Well, the answer is that the court put several strict rules in place for her probation. She can’t have any contact with either of her victims, Clayton Echard and Greg Gillespie. 

She’s also required to undergo court-ordered mental health treatment. To make sure she stays on track, the judge hit her with 12 months of deferred jail time starting October 22, 2027. That means the additional year behind bars is hanging over her while she’s on probation.

According to The Guardian, the judge in the Maricopa County Superior Court said, “he did not think it was ‘the right thing’ to put ‘a potentially mentally ill person who has committed a non-violent offense, with no prior criminal history, in prison.'”

Other Reactions

Despite the probation, many people still feel that the judge could have made the sentence come with more time behind bars. One person wrote, “Judge missed the point.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• “I’ve heard of harsher sentences for people with weed, not hurting anybody else but themselves…now this and multiple victims “
• “The judge’s sentence was an embarrassment and insult to the system and victims involved.”
• “This is absolutely disgraceful. She should have had the harshest sentence possible. My heart breaks for her victims. “
• “30 days in jail and he’s been living in this hell for YEARS?”

Clayton’s Victim Impact Statement

Clayton Echard did say in his victim impact statement, “Laura’s been carrying out these tactics for at least ten years. She’s not sorry. She’s sorry she got caught.”

Your thoughts? Join the discussion and come back for all your celebrity justice news and updates.