Maureen McDonnell will remain free while she appeals the conviction. She will have two years supervised probation when she is released from prison.
Former Governor Robert McDonnell did not testify at his wife's sentencing hearing Friday morning in Richmond, VA.
Maureen and her husband were convicted on Sept. 4 of taking bribes from a businessman.
Both were found guilty of nine and eleven charges, respectively, for accepting $177,000 in gifts and sweetheart loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie William Sr. in exchange for promoting his company’s dietary supplement.
Maureen McDonnell was also found guilty of obstruction of justice, but that conviction was dismissed in December.
Witnesses said she was unstable and driven by greed.
Federal prosecutors had originally sought 18 months in prison. Her defense lawyers had requested that she serves 4,000 hours of community service instead. And if prison is imposed, her attorneys are seeking a total sentence of nine months between jail and home confinement, according to court records.
Former Gov. Robert McDonnell, was sentenced to two years in prison last month, down from 10-12 years prosecutors had sought. He is free pending an appeal.
Among the gifts Williams gave the couple: $6,500 Rolex watch, $65,000 to cover their daughter’s wedding expenses, and a $70,000 loan for a corporation that the former governor and his sister used to manage beach properties.
