Lori Loughlin Is ‘Absolutely Terrified’ After New Charge and Hopes for a ‘Very Light Prison Sentence’

More charges, more fear. After Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli were hit with additional charges in the college admissions case, sources say that the TV actress, 55, is extremely frightful.

“Lori is absolutely terrified and extremely vulnerable,” a source told Us Weekly. “The only hope is that she is acquitted or if she is convicted, the judge will realize the government has been completely overzealous and gives her a very light prison sentence.”

“The prosecution added the additional charge because the government realized their case was weak,” the source explained. “The charge could have been filed with the others back in the spring.”

The star has been accused of conspiring to commit federal program bribery when she allegedly bribed the University of Southern California in order to guarantee her children’s admission. “In exchange for the bribes, employees of the university allegedly designated the defendants’ children as athletic recruits — with little or no regard for their athletic abilities — or as members of other favored admissions categories,” reads a press release shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.

The investigation is ongoing, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Our goal from the beginning has been to hold the defendants fully accountable for corrupting the college admissions process through cheating, bribery and fraud. The superseding indictments will further that effort.” The new charge of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery can carry a sentence up to “five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.”

So far, the two have pleaded not guilty to the charges but friends are “concerned” that was the wrong decision, a source told Us Weekly. “They say she should have followed [Felicity Huffman]’s lead and accepted responsibility.” Felicity, 56, was also a part of the college admission scandal and accepted a plea deal to only serve 14 days in prison. Although the brunette beauty hopes to arrange a plea and serve no prison time, that seems unlikely at this point.