A California woman who wrongly accused a Black teen of taking her phone at a New York City hotel has reached a plea deal that spares her from prison if she avoids trouble.
23-year-old Miya Ponsetto pleaded guilty Monday to unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, a felony, but will have a chance to replead to a misdemeanor aggravated harassment charge if she follows the terms of the agreement.
She must abide by the terms of her probation for a separate drunk driving and resisting arrest case in her home state for two years, continue to receive counseling and have no further arrests.
Video from 2020 shows Ponsetto grabbing 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr, while accusing him of stealing her phone.
A hotel manager is seeing trying to intervene and the teen’s father can be heard telling the woman to leave the teen alone.
The phone was later found in an Uber.
Harrold’s family filed a lawsuit against Ponsetto, alleging racial profiling.
The case is still pending.
