Felony Charges Brought Against Runaway Bride Jennifer Wilbanks

Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter held a news conference Wednesday morning in Lawrenceville, where he announced to reporters that a grand jury hearing had just concluded with an indictment against Jennifer Wilbanks for one felony charge of making false statements, and one misdemeanor charge of false reporting of a crime. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and the misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Porter said that based on a review of all the evidence obtained to date, including evidence obtained after Wilbanks returned to Georgia, "this is a reasonable next step in the case." He added that any order of restitution will be up to the court, but all criminal cases carry fines.

Wilbanks is the notorious "runaway bride" whose story grabbed the nation’s attention last month when she disappeared from her home in Duluth, Georgia, just days before she was to marry her fiancée in a lavish and expensive ceremony. Claiming that she was going out for a jog, the 32-year old Wilbanks actually boarded a bus and traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she called authorities and said that she had been abducted. But after being questioned, the former medical assistant gave up and withdrew her false story, saying that she had fled Georgia because of "personal issues" and her dread of the upcoming nuptials. Her escape from the lavishly planned wedding, which included 600 guests and 28 attendants, prompted a massive three-day search that local authorities said cost thousands of dollars and involved hundreds of searchers, including heartsick friends and family fearing the worst. Since her return to Georgia, Wilbanks has been the focus of intense media scrutiny, public outrage, and local curiosity, as the public awaited the outcome of a decision by authorities on whether or not to charge her with a crime. New Mexico authorities have already said that they wouldn’t charge her.

Announcing the indictment, Porter said that the grand jury’s decision was made based on the totality of the evidence, including the statements Wilbanks made to police, giving information regarding her claim of abduction as well as detailed descriptions of her imaginary abductors. "I think this is appropriate, to say that there’s a message that at some point you just can’t lie to the police," Porter commented. "I believed, after a review of the evidence, that this was a case that justified going forward. At some point there has to be a consequence for lying to the police…we don’t want, as a society, to let people be allowed to lie to the police." When questioned about his motives for pursuing the indictment, Porter responded, "I’m glad we are not investigating a murder, I’m glad she’s home, but once all the evidence came in and I had all the information from investigative agencies, it was a much less difficult choice to go forward." Porter added that it was his decision to propose the indictment to the grand jury, but it was their decision to charge Wilbanks even though she had withdrawn her false story. "Later recantation doesn’t excuse you from criminal behavior, under Georgia law. That would be like stealing something and then putting it back. It doesn’t help you to put it back."

A warrant for Wilbanks arrest will be issued within the next day or so, and her first court appearance will probably be within 30 days. Wilbanks will probably be eligible for first-offender status under Georgia law, meaning that she most likely will not receive the maximum punishment if she is found guilty.