Will Donald Trump be on clean up duty?
According to experts, while it is unlikely the Republican will get jail time for his felony conviction, it is possible the former present will be sentenced to community service.
“Trump can get a prison sentence, probation, or even a jail sentence if he receives a year or less,” criminal defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman dished. “He could also receive community service as part of a probationary sentence, including picking up trash on the side of the road.”
Trump, 77, is slated to be sentenced on July 11 by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records for concealing hush money paid to p--- star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
The former reality TV star faces a possible maximum of four years imprisonment, however, since he was convicted of non-violent crimes and has never been convicted before, legal experts believe he is more likely to receive probation or a conditional discharge.
Trump’s lawyers must submit their sentencing recommendation to the judge by June 13 and will likely ask for no time behind bars.
“I don’t expect a prison [or] jail sentence but anything is possible from this judge and this district attorney,” Litchman added.
The father-of-five faces up to five years of probation, where he would be required to repeatedly check in with his parole officer.
New York Law School Professor Anna Cominsky suggested Trump would have to avoid committing another crime, pay a fine by a certain date or notifying a probation office of his travel plans if he were to get probation.
The ex-prez could also receive three years conditional discharge, which would also require him to follow the judge’s rules, but he wouldn’t be monitored by an officer, according to Cominsky.
“Conditional discharge has less supervision than probation,” she explained.
As a politician, criminal defense lawyer Jeremy Saland noted how probation would likely be difficult for Trump.
“A former president has a lot of responsibilities,” he said. “Probation would be too administratively difficult for someone who is the former president of the US.”
“They can have you cleaning the street, removing graffiti or something getting your hands as dirty as that,” Saland said of Trump potential community service sentence.
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Additionally, Trump could face up to a $5,000 fine on each of the 34 counts — or a total of $170,000.
Saland added, “For someone like Donald Trump, fines will be inconsequential,” noting in this case “the dollars are symbolic.”
The New York Post reported on the experts remarks.