Published June 17, 2011 12:00AM
Colton Harris-Moore, the theif-cum-folk-hero, pleaded guilty on Friday to a range of felony charges, including ones stemming from the theft of a pistol and for transporting a stolen airplane across state lines. Outside profiled Harris-Moore in 2009, as his notoriety was reaching its peak and shortly before he was arrested in the Bahamas, in July 2010. (The arrest, which involved the theft of a plane, two boats, gunfire, and culminated in a hot pursuit through an upscale marina, could itself fill the pages of a thriller.) Authorities believe Harris-Moore committed the majority of his crimes, many of which were petty robberies but also involved light aircraft and a Mercedes Benz, near his home in the Pacific Northwest. Harris-Moore’s reputation grew after he dodged several close calls with the police, at one time evading capture on foot without shoes. Harris-Moore’s sentencing is scheduled for October. His lawyer expects a jail term of up to six-and-a-half years, and Harris-Moore will likely still face charges from Washington State officials. The guilty plea was temporarily delayed over rights to Harris-Moore’s story, but under the agreement, any proceeds from a book or movie deal will go to Harris-Moore’s victimes, who are owed an estimated $1.4 million.
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