Slammer Time for Michelle Rodriguez

Former Lost star sentenced to six months in jail for probation violation after admitting to falsifying community service record and drinking alcohol while wearing a monitoring bracelet; she must surrender by Dec. 24

By Natalie Finn Oct 11, 2007 5:10 AMTags

Michelle Rodriguez has been put on the fast and furious track to jail.

The former Lost star was sentenced Wednesday to 180 days in Los Angeles County Jail after admitting to violating her probation from several DUI-related charges, L.A. City Attorney's Office spokesman Frank Mateljan confirmed to E! Online.

Rodriguez, who had been required to complete 30 hours of community service, copped to never finishing her court-ordered duty, as well as to drinking alcohol on three occasions while wearing an alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet.

"Yes, it's true. 180 days in county jail. That is her sentence," reads a message on the actress' MySpace page. "But all is well. She is and will be just fine. Just hours after this ruling, she's as positive as ever."

"Michelle will still be leaving for New Zealand to film James Cameron's Avatar and will then report back to turn herself in to serve her sentence on Christmas Eve," the message continues. "Michelle is a survivor and is always growing from her experiences, and this will be no different."

The beleaguered 29-year-old has until 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 to surrender, after which she's required to spend the entire 180-day term locked up, having been deemed ineligible for either work furloughs or house arrest.

So, there will be no breaks this time for Rodriguez, who in May 2006 spent only four hours and 20 minutes in custody due to jail overcrowding, despite having been sentenced to two months behind bars, also for probation violation.

Rodriguez's L.A.-based probation was revoked last year after she racked up several speeding citations in Hawaii, where she was working on Lost at the time, and then was busted for driving under the influence in December 2005.

Perhaps a portent of things to come, Rodriguez opted out of fulfilling 240 hours of community service and instead spent five days in a women's correctional facility on Oahu.

The actress was sentenced to three years' probation in L.A. in 2004 after pleading no contest to misdemeanor DUI, hit and run and driving with a suspended license.

After learning that Rodriguez was fudging with her new probation terms, which along with jail time last year also included the 30 hours of service and court-ordered alcohol-education monitoring, city prosecutors filed a motion to revoke her probation last month.

The City Attorney's Office alleged that Rodriguez hadn't just failed to comply with the court's order, she had also submitted documents that stated she had been busy do-gooding on the West Coast when in reality she was in New York at the time.

But now her whereabouts will be known by all for at least six months. And in addition to spending Christmas behind bars this year, Rodriguez still has to complete 30 days of service with the California Department of Transportation.

Rodriguez won't be the only thespian lighting the yule log in jail, however.

Kiefer Sutherland agreed Tuesday to serve 48 days in jail for probation violation and a misdemeanor DUI after pleading no contest to driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08 in connection with his Sept. 25 traffic arrest. He must serve at least 18 days right away after he's officially sentenced on Dec. 21, while 24 is on its winter production break, and then he'll have until July 1, 2008, to complete the rest.

In what appears to be a preemptive strike against any further Paris-style drama, Sutherland, like Rodriguez, will not be eligible for early release or electronic at-home monitoring.