Johnny Depp Could Face A Ten-Year Prison Sentence

Johnny Depp could be facing up to ten years in prison over the issues that have arisen from Mr. Depp’s pets, two Yorkshire Terriers named Pistol and Boo, accompanying Johnny and wife Amber Heard to Australia.

It seems Australia is taking the matter very seriously, asserting that Johnny Depp deliberately smuggled the dogs into Australia instead of presenting them through the proper procedures upon his return to the country, where Mr. Depp has been filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. According to the Australian Senate committee, Johnny could face up to ten years of imprisonment over the matter or be charged with a fine of $265,000, if the issue makes it to court.

Additionally, Depp’s pilot may also face up to two years in prison for his role in importing the dogs illegally.

Mr. Depp had the dogs flown into Australia aboard his private jet, circumventing the country’s regulations regarding the transportation of live animals. In an effort to minimize biosecurity risks, Australia adheres to strict laws that require pet owners to apply for permits prior to bringing their pets into the country. Additionally, all pets are required to spend ten days in quarantine.

The Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has been on top of this matter, since he first saw media reports featuring Johnny Depp’s dogs on the Pirates of the Caribbean set, and had issued an ultimatum that threatened to euthanize the dogs, unless Mr. Depp removed them from Australian soil immediately.

“If we start letting movie stars—even though they’ve been [named] the sexiest man alive twice—to come into our nation, then why don’t we just break the laws for everybody,” Mr. Joyce said in response to media outcry over the incident with Johnny Depp’s pets.

Ms. Heard has since returned to the United States with Pistol and Boo in time to comply with the order, but Australia may still pursue the matter against Johnny Depp.

The remaining issue that the animals were knowingly smuggled by Mr. Depp into the country is being taken very seriously by authorities, because it has become apparent that everyone on board the private plane from flight crew to passengers had a hand in concealing the presence of Depp’s dogs from Australian authorities.

“A celebrity brought their dogs in to be pampered. The dogs were duly pampered and that pampering was put onto social media,” described Senator Richard Colbeck.

It was only the discovery of the dogs through media sources, including Facebook posts, that eventually alerted the government to the matter regarding Johnny Depp’s pets.

[Featured image: Johnny Depp courtesy of Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images]