WASHINGTON : US President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced next week after being found guilty of improperly concealing a hush money payment to an adult film actor, a New York state judge ruled Friday.
Justice Juan Merchan denied a bid from Trump’s defense team to overturn the conviction, and set sentencing for Jan. 10, just 10 days before Trump is set to be sworn-in for his second term. He indicated that he would not be imposing any prison term, however.
“This Court must sentence Defendant within a reasonable time following verdict; and Defendant must be permitted to avail himself of every available appeal, a path he has made clear he intends to pursue but which only becomes fully available upon sentencing,” Merchan wrote in his 18-page order.
“While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendant an opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court’s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation,” Merchan added.
Trump can appear either in person or virtually, according to his order.
Trump became the first former president ever to be convicted of a crime in May when a jury unanimously convicted him of 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges are related to a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels with the intent of influencing the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.
The payment was made by Trump’s one-time attorney, Michael Cohen, in the days leading up to the election. Trump later paid Cohen back, and prosecutors said the payment was concealed as legal expenses. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Trump is to be sworn in for his second term in office on Jan. 20, 2025 after handily defeating Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential contest.
