[Vlad0]

His penalty isn’t clear yet, which seems strange ...

Huh? The article you linked includes this:

Chesebro pleaded guilty to one felony – conspiracy to commit filing false documents. Fulton County prosecutors recommended that he serve 5 years of probation and pay $5,000 in restitution, and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee imposed that sentence at Friday’s hearing.

So, the penalty is very clear. A $5,000 fine. Five years probation. And a Felony conviction in the State of Georgia.

Here's a bit more about what that means in Georgia. A convicted felon loses the following rights:

• The right to vote while incarcerated or on parole or probation
• The right to hold or run for public office
• The right to sit on a jury
• The right to be a notary
• The right to receive, possess or transport a firearm
• The right to use public benefits such as grants, housing, food stamps, and cash assistance
• The right to parental custody and visitation in some cases

I guess if you do not own any guns you might not consider this a big deal. There is also the loss of reputation, and as a lawyer the likely loss of professional certification and the abilty to fully practice your profession to consider. Which are pretty big things, too.

Of course losing the case, getting convicted of multiple felonies, and THEN going to jail for a while would be a lot worse. And he is avoiding that.

[gloryblaze]

I don’t know if the article has been updated, or if I misunderstood, but I read it thinking that was still merely what the prosecution was seeking in the plea deal, but not ruled as yet by the judge, which was strange. Sorry if I got it wrong.

I understand the conditions of the sentence.