According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the sentencing began at 10:00 a.m. local time (15:00 GMT) with Judge James R. Spencer reducing the guideline sentence for McDonnell’s case to a range of between six and a half years to eight years and a month.
The guideline sentence range recommended by the US probation office was set at between ten years and one month to 12 years and seven months, however according to US laws, the judge is not obliged to follow it. The Defense has asked for McDonnell to receive probation and 6,000 hours of community service and, according to USA Today, Judge Spencer received almost 450 letters asking for mercy for McDonnell.
On September 4, McDonnell and his wife Maureen were pronounced guilty of 11 and nine charges respectively for accepting some $177,000 in gifts and loans from a family friend and former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie William Sr. in exchange for promoting his company’s dietary supplement. Maureen McDonnell will be sentenced on February, 20.
