Roger Stone sentenced to over three years in prison

Trump supporter Roger Stone was sentenced Thursday to 40 months in prison in connection to lying to congressional investigators in the Trump-Russia probe.

Stone was convicted in November 2019 for giving false statements to Congress, obstructing an investigation and witness tampering.

Federal prosecutors had recommended as many as nine years in prison, until Attorney General William Barr intervened to say the recommendation was too severe, and President Trump publicly complained that the 67-year-old Stone, a long-time Republican operative, was being treated unjustly.

However, Stone is not expected to be sent to prison before the courts rule on his motion for a new trial.

Stone also faces two years probation, $20,000 in fines and 250 hours of community service. His lawyers had asked for probation only, considering their client's age and health.

Trump after the sentencing muted speculation that he would pardon Stone -- who was found guilty of tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

President Trump on Roger Stone: “I’m not going to do anything in terms of the great powers bestowed upon a president of the United States. I want the process to play out. I think that’s the best thing to do because I’d love to see Roger exonerated.” https://t.co/44QIRyWnRf pic.twitter.com/h8IYXQNHqx

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 20, 2020

"I'm not gonna do anything in terms of the great powers bestowed upon a president of the United States," he said at an event in Las Vegas. "I want the process to play out, I think that's the best thing to do, because I'd love to see Roger exonerated and I'd love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly."

The president also raised the issue of fairness in another tweet Thursday.

“They say Roger Stone lied to Congress.” @CNN OH, I see, but so did Comey (and he also leaked classified information, for which almost everyone, other than Crooked Hillary Clinton, goes to jail for a long time), and so did Andy McCabe, who also lied to the FBI! FAIRNESS?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2020