According to the Washington Post former Governor Bob McDonnell is facing a prison sentence of a minimum of 10 years and 1 month to a maximum of 12 years and 7 months. McDonnell was convicted on 11 of 14 counts of corruption. [read_more] These federal guidelines are likely to be recommended by the U.S. Probation Office to the judge in McDonnell’s case, Judge James R. Spencer. Judges in his district follow the federal guidelines 70% of the time.
“It’s of critical importance,” said white collar criminal defense attorney Scott Fredericksen. “The fact is, the vast majority of times, courts follow those recommendations closely.”
Governor McDonnell will be sentence on January 6th and his wife on February 20th. Maureen McDonnell’s sentence is not expected to be as long as the former Governor’s.
Last December McDonnell turned down a plea bargain which would have meant a maximum of three years in prison or as little as probation. He refused the deal because he would have been forced to admit some responsibility for alleged deals made with businessman Jonnie Williams while in the Governor’s mansion. McDonnell insisted that he had done nothing wrong, it was all his wife’s fault.
More here.
