Up to seven years sentence
Mitchell is sentenced to between 2 1/3 years and seven years for her part in Matt and Sweat’s escape. Before sentencing she claims that Matt threatened to kill her husband if she didn’t help him and Sweat escape.
If I could take it all back I would. I can’t begin to explain how sorry I am for all this…Why I did what I did I don’t know, other than that I was scared for my husband.
She also offers to wear an ankle bracelet for life, which Judge Ryan rejects:
Ms. Mitchell I just don’t find that explanation credible, your husband’s life just would not have been in more danger…You did terrible things. At any time, you could have stopped the escape from happening.
He also notes that New York State officials estimate the cost of the search for Sweat and Matt at $23 million.
But staggering as the economic costs to New York State may be, the economic and non-economic cost suffered by so many people is incalculable. A large portion of the population was terrorized…[Law enforcement] traversed deeply inhospitable territory, never knowing if the next step they took would be their last.
Pleads guilty to aiding escapees
Mitchell pleads guilty to helping two convicted murderers escape from a maximum security prison last month. She allegedly provided tools to Matt before the escape by concealing them in hamburger meat. She pleads guilty to first-degree promoting prison contraband and fourth-degree criminal facilitation. She faces a prison sentence ranging from 2 1/3 years to 7 years. She also agrees to cooperate with the investigation and give up her teaching certificate. The judge says Mitchell, who wiped away tears while making the plea, could be released on $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond. Mitchell will be sentenced on Sept. 28.
Arrested
Mitchell is arrested and charged with providing Sweat and Matt, with contraband and helping them escape Clinton Correctional Facility. The charges: first-degree promoting prison contraband, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal facilitation, a misdemeanor. Sources say Mitchell was charmed by Matt, to the point that “she thought it was love,” and planned to be the men’s getaway driver before she got cold feet. Mitchell’s husband, who also works at the prison, has not been charged.