Joe Giudice began his 41-month prison sentence at 12 p.m. Wednesday, but the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star says he's hopeful that his jail time will be reduced for good behavior. The New Jersey native was sentenced in 2014 after he and his wife, "RHONJ" star Teresa Giudice, pleaded guilty to 39 fraud-related crimes.
The couple was given consecutive terms so that one of them could stay home with their four daughters while the other was away in prison. Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Conn., but her sentence was reduced to 11 months and she was released the day before Christmas Eve last year. Now, just three months after her release, she was forced to say goodbye to her husband- but he plans to be home a lot sooner than expected.
"I shouldn't be in there longer than a year and a half," Joe told People. "You get good time, and now they have, with my kind of crime, [a system where] you are eligible for [sentence reduction] programs in there so I will do as many programs as I can."
He explained that he plans to enter an alcohol rehabilitation program once in prison, along with other programs that will help keep him busy and reduce his time to about 18 months. He previously said that the Federal Correction Institute in Fort Dix, N.J. is a low-security, military camp-type of facility and most of the men serving time in there are just working on various programs to reduce their sentences.
"A lot of programs knock 10 days off a month. So, whatever programs are available," he told People. "I don't care if I have to take up to 24 hours, seven days a week, I will knock off as many things to pass time and get it over with and get out. That's what your goal is - to basically work on getting out."
Family attorney James Leonard Jr. released a statement shortly after Giudice surrendered himself to the Federal Correctional Institute and began his sentence earlier this afternoon.
"His brother, his sister and several other members of the Giudice family, as well as myself, were present when he turned himself in to the prison, including Teresa," Leonard's statement read. "It was obviously a very emotional day, but this is a very strong family with a tremendous support system and they will get through this, just as they did when Teresa was away."
