Fed jury indicts teen in 'Barefoot Bandit' thefts
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The teenager accused of being the "Barefoot Bandit" has been indicted on an array of charges following an alleged two-year crime spree from Washington state to the Caribbean that drew widespread attention as well as movie and book offers.
A federal grand jury Wednesday indicted Colton Harris-Moore, 19, on five counts, including interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft and being a fugitive in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.
Harris-Moore faces up to 10 years in prison each on four of the counts. He remains in a federal detention center in SeaTac, Wash., and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment Nov. 18.
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"The grand jury action today is an important step in holding Colton Harris-Moore accountable for his criminal conduct," said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
A message left with Harris-Moore's attorney, John Henry Browne, was not immediately returned.
Harris-Moore, a self-taught pilot, is suspected in more than 80 crimes across nine states since authorities say he walked away from a halfway house in April 2008, many of them in Washington's bucolic islands. He grew up in Camano Island, a quiet rural community in the Puget Sound north of Seattle.
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After a two-year run from the law, he was caught July 10 in the Bahamas, a week after authorities say he crash-landed an airplane stolen from an Indiana airport. Bahamian authorities launched an extensive manhunt for the teenager and arrested him as he tried to flee in a boat.
Harris-Moore was deported by the Bahamas to the U.S. after pleading guilty to illegally entering the island nation east of Miami. The U.S. embassy paid a $300 fine on his behalf.
Harris-Moore's alleged hometown exploits garnered attention in Washington state. But his notoriety took off after his alleged daring escape to the Caribbean.
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Executives from movie and television production companies inquired about his story, prompting his mother — Pam Kohler — to hire a well-known entertainment lawyer to help her field unsolicited offers. A Harris-Moore fan club on Facebook boasts more than 23,000 members.
Police dubbed Harris-Moore the "Barefoot Bandit" because investigators say they found footprints identified as his at several crime scenes.
The grand jury focused on four different incidents. In one, Harris-Moore is accused of stealing a Cessna from Idaho and flying it to Washington state in September 2009. He's also accused of stealing a boat from Washington and sailing it to Oregon in May of this year.
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Prosecutors also say Harris-Moore stole a .32 caliber pistol in Canada and carried it to the United States.