If a Chicago Jury even finds him guilty, I predict that his actual sentence is six months unsupervised probation and a ten thousand dollar fine. Maybe a hundred hours of ‘Community Service’.
This will never go to trial. Smollett won’t risk 20 or 40 years in prison if he can get 3 or 4 in a plea deal.
He has to go to prison to send a message. He single-handedly negated future hate crimes against blacks because now everyone will assume it’s a hoax just like this one. He’s not the first but he’s a high profile person who should have known better. His Hollywood connections may not help him with this and the police take this very seriously. If he gets off with probation and no prison time; it would be a slap in the face to the police therefor Smollett will do time. I agree with others here; less than 4 years on good behavior.