SEATTLE -- The notorious teen known as the Barefoot Bandit says he's worried about his victims.
Colton Harris-Moore reached out to KOMO News from behind prison walls with the help of a former detention inmate.
"He felt like it was important that the word get out. I'm doing what a friend would do," said Mike Maki who spent two weeks locked up with Harris-Moore at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac.
Maki said when he first met Harris-Moore, he didn't know much about the teen, but the two bonded over time. He said Harris-Moore told him his story, including where he was headed when he crash-landed a plane in the Bahamas after evading police for more than two years.
"He thought he could get to Cuba. But the problem with stealing planes -- you can't fill the tank before you leave," said Maki.
Police said Harris-Moore criss-crossed the country, breaking into homes and taking what he wanted, including five airplanes and several expensive boats.
"He knows he did something wrong," Maki said.
Maki, who was released last week, said Harris-Moore begged him to contact KOMO News, and more specifically, reporter Michelle Esteban.
He said Harris-Moore is remorseful and worried his uninsured victims won't get paid back.
"(He said,) 'If you would get Michelle the word that I really want to see folks get restitution before the money all gets spent otherwise.' That's justice, and that's what he'd like to see done," Maki said.
Next month, Harris-Moore is expected to plead guilty on state charges as part of a plea deal. But Maki said Harris-Moore is worried the deal with three counties will fall through and affect his victims.
"(He is worried) the money from his movie rights, which is being used for restitution, wouldn't get to the right people," he said.
Twentieth Century Fox reportedly paid more than $1 million for the rights to the Camano Island teen's life story. He can't profit from the movie, but his victims can.
"He's not trying to make a deal for himself. He just wants to make sure uninsured victims get taken care of in the restitution process, and that politics get set aside so justice can really be done," Maki said.
After months of negotiating a potential plea agreement, Skagit County reportedly dropped charges against Harris-Moore to pave the way for a plea agreement with three other counties.
Harris-Moore faces those state charges in court on Dec. 16. He has already pleaded guilty to federal charges.
No comments:
Post a Comment