August 2nd 2023.
The Carlee Russell hoax has sparked a fire under Alabama lawmakers. CBS 42 reports that Alabama Sen. April Weaver has announced plans to introduce a bill that would make faking an abduction a felony. Weaver believes that the current misdemeanor charges against Russell are not enough. In a statement, Weaver said: “Individuals who concoct and carry out sham kidnappings and lead our law enforcement officers on wild goose chases must be given severe penalties for their deceptive actions.” If the bill is passed, offenders could face “strong prison sentences and mandatory restitution requirements for the full cost of resources expended by law enforcement agencies during a hoax abduction.”
Several local officials, such as Hoover City Council President John Lyda, support the bill. Lyda believes that innocent taxpayers shouldn’t be victims in cases such as Russell’s. He stated that “there are 96,000 victims, and those are the taxpayers of the city of Hoover that not only sat on edge worried for our community but expended a tremendous amount of resources over the course of that week to chase down leads on something we now know was totally made up.”
Russell made headlines after her alleged kidnapping turned into a nationwide search. Days later, Hoover Police announced her abduction was a hoax, and the 25-year-old nursing student was charged with two misdemeanors. If the bill is passed, Alabama will join Tennessee and Florida as states that already have laws in place for falsifying certain claims to law enforcement, according to WVTM 13. The consequences for lying to law officials could carry sentences of up to five years in prison.
Jimmy Lambert, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association, is in support of harsher penalties for lying to law enforcement. “We applaud this, and we’re looking forward to working with the legislature to do what we need to do to enhance the penalties,” Lambert said. Weaver plans to introduce the bill in the coming weeks, and the city council will vote next week on a resolution to support such legislation. If all goes according to plan, the bill could be considered by the legislative in February 2024.
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