"Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Airplane-Fueled Crime Spree
SEATTLE (CBS/AP) Teenager and self-taught pilot Colton Harris-Moore, aka the "Barefoot Bandit," has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his alleged two-year crime spree which spanned the United States and ended in the Caribbean.
PICTURES: Barefoot Bandit on the Run
Harris-Moore, who's being pitched movie and t-v offers for his exploits, was indicted Wednesday on five counts, including interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft and being a fugitive in possession of a firearm.
The 19-year-old, who led authorities including the FBI on a wild goose chase that ended in the Bahamas in July, remains in custody at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, Wash., and is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Nov. 18.
Four of the counts in the indictment are each punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine, says the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"The grand jury action today is an important step in holding Colton Harris-Moore accountable for his criminal conduct," said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
Her office says the first charged criminal act in the indictment is the Sept. 29, 2009 theft and transportation of a stolen Cessna aircraft from Idaho to Washington.
The interstate and foreign transportation of a stolen firearm count pertains to a .32 caliber pistol Harris-Moore allegedly stole while in Canada, and then carried from Idaho to Washington.
The teenager is also accused of piloting an aircraft without an airman's certificate for a flight he made in a stolen plane within Washington State.
Last, but certainly not least, Harris-Moore is accused of interstate transportation of a 34-foot boat which he allegedly stole and sailed from Washington to Oregon on May 31, 2010.
The teen was caught July 11, 2010 in the Bahamas, one week after he allegedly crash-landed an airplane stolen from an Indiana airport.
Bahamian authorities launched an extensive manhunt and arrested the teenager as he was attempting to escape in a boat, reports CBS affiliate KIRO.
In all, Harris-Moore is accused of committing 80 crimes across nine states, the Bahamas, and British Colombia.
"The Barefoot Bandit" will be featured on an upcoming episode of 48 HOURS | MYSTERY.
Complete 'Barefoot Bandit' Coverage on Crimesider.