Laura Owens sentencing is set for Friday in Maricopa County Court in Arizona after she pleaded guilty in August to four felony charges in a pregnancy fraud case tied to claims involving Clayton Echard. If the judge orders jail or prison time, she is expected to go into custody immediately.
The charges include perjury, stealing the identity of another, and two counts of fraudulent schemes and artifices. One of the charges carries a maximum sentence of 12.5 years in prison, which gives the judge a wide range of options when the hearing begins.
Maricopa County Court Friday
Owens was first indicted in Maricopa County in May 2025. The case centers on her efforts to convince Echard and a second Arizona man that she became pregnant with their twins, a claim that led to years of court disputes.
Neither side has publicly disclosed what sentence it wants. A pre-sentencing report with a probation officer’s recommendation has not been released, so the hearing will move forward without that public guide to the likely range of punishment.
Ronn Owens and Jan Black
The case has carried a family dimension throughout the proceedings. Owens lives with her parents in Scottsdale, and in a September court filing she said she is her father’s primary caregiver.
That filing described Ronn Owens as 81 years old with Parkinson’s disease and Stage 4 cancer, requiring round-the-clock care. In a separate Chapter 7 bankruptcy case earlier this year, Owens said her parents have always provided for her financially.
Ronn Owens and Jan Black also issued a statement in May 2026 saying their support for her is rooted in firsthand knowledge of what she has endured emotionally, medically, legally, and psychologically over many years. Earlier that month, Owens said she intended to “meet these accusations head on.”
Clayton Echard and Gregg Woodnick
After Owens pleaded guilty, Echard said she remains “a threat to others” and needs to be removed from her current environment. Gregg Woodnick, who represented Echard and the second man, said prison is appropriate for Owens and said she falsified medical evidence.
Woodnick also said Owens and Echard wore a fake pregnancy belly during one court hearing while she claimed to be 24 weeks pregnant. With sentencing set for Friday, the judge will decide whether the case ends with custody time or another punishment short of prison.
