NEW YORK— A Manhattan judge has ordered President-elect Donald Trump to be sentenced next week, just days before his inauguration.
In a decision issued Friday afternoon, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan rejected Trump’s request to dismiss the hush money case against him. Merchan has now scheduled Trump’s sentencing for January 10th.
Merchan implied in his ruling that he would not sentence Trump to jail time, but would instead grant him unconditional release. If Trump avoids being arrested again, the case will be dismissed.
The sentencing will make him the first President to assume office after being convicted of a felony. He was found guilty of concealing “hush money” payments to adult actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
