Paul Manafort Expected to Be Sentenced in Virginia Courtroom (Updated)

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is to be sentenced in one of two criminal cases on Thursday.

Manafort’s first sentence will be handed down by Virginia U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis, who during the trial often times appeared combative with Government Prosecutors.

Manafort, the first an so far only trial related to charges filed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Office, was found guilty, on eight of the eighteen charges brought before the jury, Judge Ellis declared a mistrial on ten of the charges, while the jury convicted Manafort of, five counts of filing false tax returns, two bank fraud charges, and one count of not filing the proper IRS form.

Manafort later pleaded guilty to charges filed with a D.C. District Court, as the News Blender reported those charges were, concealing income from the U.S. Government, and also conspiring with Konstantin Kilimnik, to tamper with witnesses. He is expected to be sentenced in that case later this month.

As BuzzFeed News journalist Zoe Tillman reminds us via tweet, there will be no living tweeting from the courtroom.

As you may recall from Manafort’s trial this summer in Virginia, you cannot bring any electronics into the courthouse, so no live-tweeting from today’s 3:30pm sentencing. In the meantime:
– What the govt says: https://t.co/6ErzYO2dKP
– What Manafort says: https://t.co/K9OIiueGAA

— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) March 7, 2019

Tillman however will be present in the courtroom as Manafort learns his fate.

Hello from the federal courthouse in Alexandria, where Paul Manafort is due at 3:30pm for sentencing. See: https://t.co/K9OIiueGAA

Just went inside to check the scene (it's quiet), and the security guard goes, "Hey! Long time no see!" He shakes my hand. "It must be that day." pic.twitter.com/Mg1a2kJTHo

— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) March 7, 2019

As Tillman notes Manafort is due in court at 3:30 p.m. eastern, this post will be updated once the sentence length becomes available.

Update:

After a nearly 3 hours in a Virginia courtroom U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis sentenced Manafort to 47 months (almost 4 years) on tax evasion and bank fraud charges.

Manafort, 69, is expected to appear for another sentencing hearing in D.C., on March 13th.

BREAKING – Prosecutors had recommended 19-24 years in prison for Manafort; Judge Ellis opted instead to sentence him to 47 months, just short of 4 years.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 8, 2019

47 months is a very low sentence for Manafort, considering the sentencing guidelines range. I suspect Judge Jackson will run his sentence in her case consecutive to this sentence.

— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 8, 2019

According to Crime and Justice reporter Shimon Prokupecz, before pronouncing the sentence Judge Ellis said he believed the 19-24 years sentence rec’ seemed “excessive.”

Judge Ellis noted that Manafort had “lived an otherwise blameless life,” he added just before sentencing, “you made choices to engage in criminal conduct.”

Judge TS Ellis said he believed a sentence of 19-24 years as was recommended would be "excessive" for Manafort.

— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) March 7, 2019

Judge TS Ellis before giving Manafort his sentence noted he "lived an otherwise blameless life," was a good friend and generous person to others. That doesn't erase his crimes however Ellis said.

— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) March 7, 2019

Judge tells Manafort "life is making choices Mr. Manafort, and living with the choices you make," Judge T.S. Ellis said before he delivered Manafort his sentence.
"You made choices to engage in criminal conduct."

— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) March 8, 2019