Prosecutors Object to Teresa Giudice's Plea to Spend Jail Time at Halfway House

A halfway house would "undercut” her sentence, prosecutors said.

ByABC News
October 21, 2014, 5:04 PM
Joe and Teresa Giudice arrive at federal courthouse, Nov. 20, 2013, in New Jersey.
Joe and Teresa Giudice arrive at federal courthouse, Nov. 20, 2013, in New Jersey.
Aaron Katersky/ABC News

— -- Reality star Teresa Giudice may be having a hard time accepting the reality of a stint behind bars.

In a letter to the judge who ordered her to serve time for tax fraud, "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast member asked to spend the bulk of her sentence in a halfway house instead of a federal lockup with other criminals.

Giudice's new lawyer, Stacy Ann Biancamano, who replaced her trial attorney, sent a letter asking the judge to invoke the Second Chance Act, which would allow Giudice to serve as much as 12 of her 15-month sentence in a halfway house. She also asked the judge to recommend she serve her prison time at FCI Danbury “to facilitate visitation with her young children.”

Prosecutors Paul Fishman, Rachael Honig and Jonathan Romankow responded today, shooting the request down in a letter to Judge Esther Salas, the same woman who sentenced both Teresa and Joe Giudice.

The prosecutors noted that the judge “made detailed, express findings on the record about the need to sentence defendant to jail.” They added the “halfway house designation was not raised at all by the parties at the sentencing” and they believe such a request would “undercut” her sentence.

Giudice is set to begin her sentence on Jan. 5. Teresa Giudice's sentence and her husband's sentence are staggered and he will begin his three and half years in jail when Teresa is released.