Colton Harris-Moore, the Barefoot Bandit: Where Is He Now?

Colton Harris-Moore was just one of a host of people who momentarily grabbed the spotlight in 2010 and dominated a news cycle or two while getting their 15 minutes of fame. In this series, AOL News is checking in on 25 of these newsmakers and giving them a 16th minute.

This July 2009 file self-portrait provided by the Island County Sheriff's Office shows Colton Harris-Moore, the so-called 'Barefoot Bandit.'

Island County Sheriff / The Herald / AP

Colton Harris-Moore has spent most of his prison time in solitary confinement.

Colton Harris-Moore Made News in 2010 When He: Was captured in dramatic fashion in July after evading police for more than two years and allegedly committing as many as 70 crimes during that time -- all before reaching his 20th birthday.

The Full Story: Growing up in Washington state, Harris-Moore had a troubled childhood. His father was an abusive ex-con, which led the boy to disappear for lengths of time. He started living intermittently in the wild at age 7 and would steal things from vacationers in the area, including a bike when he was 8. After numerous arrests, he was assigned to a halfway house outside Seattle. He officially became a fugitive in April 2008 at age 17 when he escaped through a window of the house. Authorities failed to apprehend the 6-foot-5 youth -- who was dubbed the Barefoot Bandit because he once kicked off his shoes while being pursued by law-enforcement officials through the woods -- for almost two and a half years. In that period, Harris-Moore allegedly committed more than 70 crimes, mostly thefts and burglaries, and was hailed by fans as an anti-hero. A Facebook tribute page counted more than 60,000 followers, and the popularity of a T-shirt with his face and "Momma Tried" on it led to an official online fan club. Then, in July, a plane he had stolen in Indiana was found crashed into the shore waters of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. (He is accused of stealing multiple planes, though he has never had a flying lesson, instead relying on flight manuals and knowledge gleaned from playing video games.) Even after police identified the wrecked plane, Harris-Moore evaded capture. It was not until July 11 when Harris-Moore's wings were finally clipped: Police were forced to shoot out the engines of a 44-foot powerboat while he was trying to evade them off the island of Eleuthera. When he was arrested, he was, of course, barefoot.

What's Happened Since? Far from stealing planes, Harris-Moore has recently spent most of his time in solitary confinement at the Federal Detention Center south of Seattle. Apparently, he is very comfortable there, which his lawyer admits is "unusual." Although Harris-Moore has pleaded not guilty, a deal might be in the works, and he could use the money likely to be forthcoming from book and movie deals to pay for the damage he caused during his time on the run, according to The New York Times.

In His Own Words: Since Harris-Moore was either hiding in the woods, flying stolen planes or in solitary confinement for the past two and a-half years, he's been a tough guy to reach for a quote. One who has spoken plenty on his behalf is his mother, Pam Kohler. She recently had the chance to clear up an often misinterpreted quote for the Seattle Post Intelligencer, where she supposedly said she was proud that her son stole planes. "And I never said I was proud that he stole planes. I said I was proud that he taught himself how to fly them. ... He always wanted to fly airplanes, that's all I know. I had told him I would send him to flight school after he graduated, but I guess he couldn't wait."

Video: CBS News coverage of his saga; CNN coverage of his arrest

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