Inside Sherri Papini's community confinement, out of federal prison months early
SACRAMENTO -- The Shasta County mother who was charged with multiple counts of mail fraud and making false statements for a staged kidnapping in 2016, is out of federal prison six months early.
Sherri Papini, 41, is under community confinement after she transferred from the satellite camp adjacent to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Victorville Medium I to community confinement overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Sacramento Residential Reentry Management (RRM) Office.
The move out of prison and into community confinement happened Aug. 16, leaving Papini with two options: home confinement or a Residential Reentry Center, also known as a halfway house.
Papini's living situation -- from city to the setup -- is not public, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, due to "privacy, safety, and security reasons," a spokesperson told CBS13 on Friday.
She is projected to be released from community confinement on Oct. 29, 2023.
In the meantime, much of Papini's daily life is unknown, but Michael Santos, Founder of Prison Professors, called on his 26 years in federal prison and experience to shed light on what Papini is likely experiencing.
"They can expect a lot of control," said Santos.
He described a halfway house as a typically institutional setting. A space, Santos said, where he was able to relearn the skills necessary to reenter society like driving a car or using a cell phone.
"Once they're [inmates] there for a period of time, and proven themselves worthy, if they have support, if they have a good release plan, they can also transition to what's called home confinement," said Santos.
In both scenarios, Santos said, Papini is likely living near where she'll live full-time after her time is served.
Inmates in these programs, Papini included, are typically monitored through technology. Instead of traditional ankle monitors, Santos explained, the Federal Bureau of Prisons relies on cell phones to track inmates in community confinement. A case manager is always tracking, and if the inmate is on probation, their probation officer is, too, Santos said.
The goal of these community-based settings is for inmates to serve their remaining time, no more than a year, while they apply for employment, go to school, or get vocational training.
Work programs, Santos said, that allow inmates who were formerly incarcerated to contribute to society in a positive way and break cycles of recidivism.
Papini was sentenced to 18 months in prison for faking her own kidnapping so she could go back to a former boyfriend, which led to a three-week, multi-state search before she resurfaced on Thanksgiving Day in 2016, along with 36 months of supervised release in September 2022.
According to the criminal complaint and Papini's plea agreement, on Nov. 2, 2016, Papini was reported missing and was believed to be kidnapped. Extensive searches were conducted for her in Shasta County, throughout California, as well as other states.
Sherri Papini is out of federal prison and will serve the rest of her sentence on community confinement.
— Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) August 25, 2023
Community confinement means Papini is in either home confinement or a Residential Reentry Center, also known as a halfway house. @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/Hc2oJZhZmA
Twenty-two days later -- on Nov. 24, 2016 -- Papini reappeared with various bindings on her body and injuries, including a "brand" on her right shoulder, and claimed that she had been abducted by two Hispanic women at gunpoint, held against her will, and that she had been abused by her captors. At that point, law enforcement efforts focused on finding her abductors.
Papini continued to repeat the false story, according to prosecutors, about her kidnapping while law enforcement continued to investigate and search for the alleged kidnappers, that didn't exist.
Papini was ordered to pay $309,902 in restitution for losses incurred by the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a restitution order can be enforced for 20 years. However, enforcement of the restitution order will be limited by Papini's economic circumstances.