RHOP Star Karen Huger is Denied Work Release Amid 1-Year Jail Sentence, Find Out When She’s Due to Be Released

Credit: Bryan Bedder/BRAVO

Karen Huger has been denied work release amid her one-year DUI sentence.

After becoming eligible for a transfer to a facility aimed at rehabilitation and treatment, the 61-year-old Real Housewives of Potomac cast member submitted an application that corrections officials approved, but Judge Terrence McGann, 75, denied.

“She drew the wrong judge,” Montgomery County defense attorney David Moyse told The Washington Post on April 18. “It was just horrible luck.”

While work release is generally approved for non-problematic inmates, Judge McGann is known for his tough sentences and issued a “disapproval of transfer” to Karen. 

“I love Judge McGann. And as a resident of Montgomery County I am happy he’s a judge,” David said. “But I am even happier if my clients never end up in front of him.”

According to Karen’s attorney, David Martella, treatment programs are available to Karen in jail, but a transfer to the Montgomery County Pre-Release Center would have allowed her more access to getting help. 

“It’s a great program,” he said. “We were disappointed she wasn’t approved.”

If Karen had been transferred, she would have been able to use a computer to find a job nearby, as long as there was no alcohol being served and nothing was being recorded. This would, of course, mean that filming RHOP season 10 would not have been an option.

She would have also been put on a strict schedule and required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings and other classes.

“Anyone who is really looking to make a change will do well here,” Ivan Downing, head of community corrections for the county, shared.

As RHOP fans will recall, Gizelle Bryant, 54, revealed at the season nine reunion that Karen had allegedly been offered a plea deal that would have seen her sentenced to house arrest before she opted to go in front of a judge.

In the end, Karen’s past four DUI cases came back to bite her as she was sentenced to 12 months behind bars and at least three years of supervised probation.

Although some might consider the judge’s denial of Karen’s request to be unreasonable, that isn’t the case when it comes to repeat drunk driving offenders.

“Just looking at all the facts of this case,” said Stacey D. Stewart, chief executive of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, “I think the judge was trying to send a message that this person’s behavior needed to change.”

Although Karen won’t be transferred and will be unable to work amid her sentence, she will continue to accumulate good behavior credits and is expected to be released from jail in November.