Wife of Aspen Skiing Co. Executive Jailed for Her Part in $3-Million Ski Theft Released Due to Coronavirus

Former Aspen Skiing Co. executive Derek Johnson was sentenced to six years in prison in January for his part in stealing and reselling more than 13,000 pairs of skis, earning him around $3 million over a 15-year period. His wife, Kerri Johnson, was also sentenced and received 90 days in jail from February and five years of probation.

• Related: Former Aspen SkiCo Executive’s Wife Pleads Guilty to Felony Theft

Yesterday a judge released Kerri Johnson more than two months early because of virus-related concerns, according to court documents. Although, despite her request, the sentence wasn’t shortened, and she will be required to fulfill the remaining 62-days of her sentence:

“The Court declines to modify the length of the jail sentence,” the judge’s order Thursday states. “However, the Court will permit Ms. Johnson to serve the jail sentence non-consecutively. This course of action is consistent with requests from the jail to manage its population in light of the current public health crisis.”

Her lawyer cited the COVID-19 pandemic causing her children to be removed from school as a reason for the reconsideration.

“With both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in custody and the national emergency related to spreading coronavirus, the Johnson family is experiencing significant stress and worry,” the motion states. “At this point, the harm and risk posed by Ms. Johnson remaining in jail for one more month during this pandemic seem to outweigh the Court’s original reasons for imposing a 90-day jail sentence.”

Kerri Johnson is the only full-time inmate released due to the coronavirus.