Laura Owens, who falsely claimed to be pregnant with twins fathered by former “Bachelor” star Clayton Echard, has been sentenced.
Owens, 36, was sentenced Friday to 30 days in county jail and seven years of probation by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Rueter, according to the hearing livestream shared by FOX 10 Phoenix.
She could face up to 12 years in prison if she violates her probation.
When given the opportunity to address the court, Owens expressed terror over “what might happen after I speak today,” adding, “But I really don’t want that fear to overshadow what I came to say.”
“I know there are people who have suffered because of decisions that I made, and I want to take accountability for that,” she continued. “I pleaded guilty to four felonies, and I am profoundly, profoundly sorry for the pain, distress and expense that I’ve caused them.”
Echard, 33, also spoke before the court, arguing that Owens was “not sorry — she’s sorry she got caught.”
He added that he believes “incarceration is an absolute must” because Owens “will not stop until she’s removed from her environment.”
“If she’s truly sorry, if she truly has remorse, and if she truly has empathy for what she’s done to me and the victims, then I challenge her today to show us,” he said. “She can say she’s sorry, but show us you actually are.”
Owens’ upcoming time behind bars stems from a paternity lawsuit she filed in 2023, in which she claimed she had “engaged in sexual activity” with Echard and was expecting twins in February 2024.
At the time, Owens demanded that Echard undergo a paternity test, also requesting a parenting plan in the event he was confirmed to be the father.
Echard, for his part, disputed Owens’ claims, arguing that the lawsuit was “groundless and lacking in merit” because the two had “never had sexual intercourse.”
He later shared a screenshot of a receipt on his Instagram Story that appeared to show a $725 payment for a paternity test, writing, “The truth will set you free.”
He also claimed he had learned of other individuals who had faced “nearly identical accusations” from Owens.
Owens, who was anonymous at the time, alleged to Page Six that Echard was referring to “restraining orders from 2021 and 2022 against the same man,” and accused him of trying to “mislead people.”
In August, Owens pleaded guilty to four felony charges stemming from her false pregnancy claims involving Echard and another man.
The charges included two counts of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one count of perjury and one count of taking the identity of another person.
Under the terms of Owens’ plea deal, 10 additional charges against her, including forgery and tampering with evidence, were dismissed, while the lack of a sentencing agreement left the judge to determine her fate.
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