Expert Disagree On Whether Former President Trump Will Go To Prison

It seems that the former President Donald Trump has found himself in a bit of a pickle. On May 30, 2024, a New York jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. This historic verdict makes him the first former or sitting U.S. president to be convicted of criminal charges. The charges stem from a scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election through hush money payments to a porn actor who claimed to have had a tryst with him.

Now, the burning question on everyone’s mind is whether Trump will be donning an orange jumpsuit and taking up residence in a prison cell. Each of the 34 felony charges carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, but whether he will actually serve time is another matter. The judge, Juan Merchan, has the power to sentence Trump to probation or up to 4 years on each count in state prison, with a maximum of 20 years. However, it’s worth noting that about 10% of comparable cases brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office resulted in imprisonment.

Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2024, which is just one week before the Republican National Convention. This timing adds an extra layer of intrigue to the already sensational story. If Trump is sentenced to a period of home detention, he could potentially serve his sentence at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, with the New York state coordinating with Florida’s probation department to monitor his confinement.

So, will Trump be the first former president to go to prison? Only time will tell. In the meantime, the world watches with bated breath as this unprecedented chapter in American history unfolds.