VENTURA, CA - JANUARY 08: In this handout photo provided by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Miya Ponsetto is seen in a police booking photo on January 8, 2021 in Ventura, California. Ponsetto is being held in relation to a December 26, 2020 altercation where she attacked a Black teen she had falsely accused of taking her phone at the Arlo Hotel in New York City. Her phone was later returned by a car service she had used. (Photo by Ventura County Shariff’s Office via Getty Images)
Roommates, remember Miya Ponsetto? She quickly became known as “SoHo Karen,” after a viral video showed her wrongfully accusing Keyon Harrold Jr., a teenage boy, of stealing her cellphone while they were at a Manhattan hotel. Soon after, it was discovered that the phone she accused him of stealing was found in an Uber. Well, it looks like she’ll be avoiding time behind bars after striking a plea deal.
According to TMZ, due to the plea deal that Miya struck with prosecutors, she will be required to live a “law-abiding life” for the next two years. After pleading guilty in the case, she has agreed to continue her therapy sessions, as well as follow the rules of her probation.
Her lawyer said to TMZ, “We are pleased that today’s proceeding brought this unfortunate misunderstanding closer to a final resolution … We are appreciative of the District Attorney’s thoughtful and empathetic approach to finding an acceptable conclusion.”
If things go according to plan, in the next two years, Miya can withdraw her guilty plea and she’ll be able to re-plead to aggravated harassment in the second degree. However, if she gets caught up in more trouble during that time, she could face up to four years in the slammer.
As previously reported, last July, months after accusing Keyon of stealing her phone she was arraigned on charges for the incident. She was charged with two counts of unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Prior to being arrested for the incident in early 2021, Miya sat down for an interview with Gayle King where she got a little feisty while speaking about the incident. At the time she told Gayle, “I consider myself to be super sweet. I really never meant to hurt him or his father, either.”
Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg Jr., spoke out Monday after Miya struck her plea deal and said, “Ms. Ponsetto displayed outrageous behavior. As a Black man, I have personally experienced racial profiling countless times in my life and I sympathize with the young man victimized in this incident. This plea ensures appropriate accountability for Ms. Ponsetto by addressing underlying causes for her behavior and ensuring this conduct does not reoccur.”
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TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94
