New York, Jan 04, (V7N) - A New York judge has upheld the felony conviction of President-elect Donald Trump and scheduled his sentencing for January 10. However, Judge Juan Merchan clarified that Trump will not face prison time or probation.
 
Earlier, Trump had requested a delay in sentencing until after the election, but Judge Merchan ruled that there was no legal reason to postpone it until after Trump takes office again on January 20. The judge emphasized that his goal is to bring finality to the case and noted the importance of setting a sentencing date before Trump’s inauguration.
 
Judge Merchan suggested that an “unconditional discharge” might be the most suitable solution, meaning Trump would receive no jail time, fine, or probation. This decision allows Trump to continue pursuing his appeals while avoiding immediate penalties under New York law.
 
Trump was convicted on May 30 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges stemmed from a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, a claim Trump denies.
 
After winning the November election, Trump urged Judge Merchan to dismiss the case, arguing that continuing or even delaying the case until after his presidency would interfere with his duties as president. Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office expressed concerns that sentencing after Inauguration Day could affect the presidency, but they insisted that the jury’s verdict should stand.
 
Despite these concerns, the prosecution pushed for the conviction to be maintained and suggested that the case could be paused until after Trump's presidency or closed with a notation that Trump had been convicted but not given a chance to fully appeal.
 
Judge Merchan concluded that all matters in the case had been addressed and that the only remaining issue was the imposition of a sentence. He noted that scheduling the sentencing was a decision for the trial judge and could be set to minimize disruption, as long as statutory obligations were met.
 
Trump’s presidential election victory has influenced his criminal cases. The Justice Department dropped its efforts to prosecute him in two separate cases: one involving allegations that Trump unlawfully tried to steal the 2020 election, and the other related to mishandling classified documents after his presidency. Trump is also challenging a criminal case in Georgia, where he is accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
 
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