Sherri Papini pleads guilty in hoax kidnapping case

Sherri Papini agreed to plead guilty in her hoax kidnapping case where she lied to FBI agents about her 2016 disappearance. 

"I am deeply ashamed of myself for my behavior and so very sorry for the pain I've caused my family, my friends, all the good people who needlessly suffered because of my story and those who worked so hard to try to help me," she said in a statement. "I will work the rest of my life to make amends for what I have done." 

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Papini will plead guilty to a single count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. She was originally charged with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. 

The 39-year-old from Redding was arrested on March 3 for these charges. Court officials have yet to schedule her next appearance to enter her pleas. 

She faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for lying to a federal law enforcement officer and a maximum of 20 years in prison and another fine of $250,000 for mail fraud. 

"The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables," according to the release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.