The ruling came down Wednesday in Hoover, AL., where Carlee was found guilty of false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident, both misdemeanors.

Carlee had pled not guilty, but that didn't matter to the judge and prosecutors ... in fact, the judge recommended a one-year jail sentence.

Remember ... Carlee called 911 in July as she was driving down an Alabama interstate to report a toddler wandering alone on the roadside. She then got out of her car and vanished for 2 days ... ultimately showing up at her parent's house.

Cops determined there was no toddler on the highway, and Carlee was never abducted ... she eventually admitted her whole story was phony.

As we reported, Carlee's boyfriend dumped her once she copped to the load of BS ... this after he initially defended her and bought her kidnapping lie, like countless others.