Laura Owens sentenced for fake pregnancy scheme targeting former 'Bachelor' star
PHOENIX - An Arizona woman was sentenced on Friday after admitting to faking pregnancies and fabricating medical records to target multiple men, including a former "Bachelor" star.
The backstory:
Laura Owens, 35, pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in August. Investigators say Owens went to "extreme lengths to manipulate men," including Clayton Echard, who was a contestant on season 18 of "The Bachelorette" before being selected to star as "The Bachelor" in season 26 of the reality TV show.
Woman indicted after claiming former Bachelor, Clayton Echard, got her pregnant, MCAO says
Former Bachelor Clayton Echard says justice was served after the Maricopa County Attorney's Office indicted a woman who reportedly claimed she was pregnant with his child.
Investigators say that between May 2023 and June 2024, Owens altered an ultrasound photo, faked a pregnancy video and lied several times under oath.
"It finally caught up to her"
What they're saying:
FOX 10 spoke with Echard’s attorney, who has been by his side throughout the entire ordeal and says Echard is ready to put this all behind him.
"Clayton's exhausted by this. I've been spending time with him on and off for years since this first happened. I remember the first day I met him, when Laura was, you know, faking pregnancy essentially with twins and knowing that she had done that before to at least one other victim," he said. "It's been a lot of years of watching Laura do a lot of damage to a lot of men. She faked medical records. She fakes medical conditions. She's faking pregnancy. She faked twin pregnancies multiple times, and it finally caught up to her," he said.
Former Bachelor Clayton Echard reacts to Laura Owens' fraud indictment
Clayton Echard, a former Bachelor, says a weight has been lifted after his accuser was indicted on felony charges. Laura Owens is accused of lying about being pregnant with his child.
Owens Sentenced:
A judge handed down a sentence of 30 days in jail, with seven years of probation, to Owens on Oct. 23.
If Owens violates her probation, she could face up to 12 years in jail.
Laura Owens sentenced in Bachelor fake pregnancy scheme
Laura Owens has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and seven years of probation in the case involving fabricated pregnancy claims against two men, including former "Bachelor" star Clayton Echard.
Both Owens and Echard spoke in court on Friday during the sentencing hearing.
"I pleaded guilty to four felonies, and I am profoundly, profoundly sorry for the pain, distress and expense that I've caused them," Owens said.
"Her tears that she brings in each day are going to be because she's fighting to keep herself from being incarcerated," Echard said. "Her tears aren't from empathy, they're not. She doesn't feel sorry. She's just sorry she got caught."
Laura Owens pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges after detectives say she faked twin pregnancies and medical records to target men, including former 'Bachelor' star Clayton Echard.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Maricopa County Superior Court proceedings, and previous FOX 10 reports on Laura Owens and Clayton Echard.