Colton Harris-Moore, known as the “Barefoot Bandit,” as seen on a GoFundMe page where he sought to raise $125,000 for flight training. (GoFundMe)

Colton Harris-Moore, known as the “Barefoot Bandit,” as seen on a GoFundMe page where he sought to raise $125,000 for flight training. (GoFundMe)

Judge to ‘Barefoot Bandit’: You’ll finish serving your sentence

Colton Harris-Moore said supervision kept him from appearing on the History Channel show “Alone.”

SEATTLE — Colton Harris-Moore won’t be getting out of his sentence early, a U.S. District Court judge ruled Friday.

Harris-Moore became infamous as the Barefoot Bandit for a prolific, two-year crime spree, during which he committed 67 state and federal crimes. He left a wake of stolen cars and planes in his path, and eventually crashed a Cessna 400 in the Bahamas, where he was finally arrested in July 2010.

He’s now 28. Last month he argued he’s a changed man and that the court should cancel his supervised release, which ends in September.

Writing to Judge Richard Jones, Harris-Moore said the supervision has prevented him from a lucrative career in public speaking, and he could be earning $10,000 per speech “at the low end.” He’s also unable to see friends in far-flung countries such as France, China or South Korea, he said.

Jones wasn’t convinced, and denied Harris-Moore’s request in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

In the decision, he wrote that Harris-Moore apparently never asked his probation officer if he could travel. Instead, Harris-Moore tried to circumvent the process by going to the court, Jones wrote.

In paperwork previously filed in court, the defense denied that claim, saying Harris-Moore had talked to his probation officer multiple times about traveling both domestically and internationally.

But, Jones wrote, the probation officer denied having any such conversations. Harris-Moore once asked about moving to Arizona, but “that is significantly different than a routine travel authorization request,” the judge wrote.

Regarding Harris-Moore’s public speaking business, the argument was scant on details, the decision says.

At best, the court received a “terse summary” that Harris-Moore was a potential participant for the History Channel’s TV show “Alone,” which bills itself as “the ultimate test of human survival and endurance.”

“The defendant has failed, however, to provide this court with a single declaration, communication or confirmed offer from any person or entity verifying or providing any detail or specifics on whether the defendant’s engagement with these TV shows were real opportunities or just exploratory communications,” Jones wrote.

Jones congratulated Harris-Moore for meeting the terms of his supervision, but rejected the idea that the only way Harris-Moore can act as a role model is to be able to travel and conduct business without restriction.

“He fails to appreciate that another way to serve as an example to others is to satisfy his complete sentence for the myriad of egregious crimes he committed and damage he did to the lives of a number of victims,” Jones wrote.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Everett Historic Theater owner Curtis Shriner inside the theater on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Historic Everett Theatre sale on horizon, future uncertain

With expected new ownership, events for July and August will be canceled. The schedule for the fall and beyond is unclear.

Contributed photo from Snohomish County Public Works
Snohomish County Public Works contractor crews have begun their summer 2016 paving work on 13 miles of roadway, primarily in the Monroe and Stanwood areas. This photo is an example of paving work from a previous summer. A new layer of asphalt is put down over the old.
Snohomish County plans to resurface about 76 miles of roads this summer

EVERETT – As part of its annual road maintenance and preservation program,… Continue reading

City of Everett Engineer Tom Hood, left, and City of Everett Engineer and Project Manager Dan Enrico, right, talks about the current Edgewater Bridge demolition on Friday, May 9, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.

Workers began dismantling the old Edgewater Bridge on May 2. The process could take one to two months, city engineers said.

Smoke from the Bolt Creek fire silhouettes a mountain ridge and trees just outside of Index on Sept. 12, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

Meetings will allow community members to learn wildfire mitigation strategies and connect with a variety of local and state agencies.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Sound Transit approves contract to build Bothell bus facility

The 365,000-square-foot facility will be the heart of the agency’s new Stride bus rapid transit system, set to open in 2028.

One dead in Everett crash involving motorcycle and two vehicles

Police shut down the 10300 block of Evergreen Way in both directions during the multi-vehicle collision investigation.

Katie Wallace, left, checks people into the first flight from Paine Field to Honolulu on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Executive order makes way for Paine Field expansion planning

Expansion would be a long-range project estimated to cost around $300 million.

A person pauses to look at an art piece during the Schack Art Center’s 50th anniversary celebration on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett to seek Creative District designation

The city hopes to grow jobs in the creative sector and access new grant funds through the state label.

Former Herald writer Melissa Slager’s new book was 14-year project

The 520-page historical novel “Contests of Strength” covers the 1700 earthquake and tsunami on Makah lands.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.