Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Alex van der Zwaan, the Dutch attorney who pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators was sentenced by a federal judge to 30 days in jail and a $20,000 fine on Tuesday.
He is the first person to be sentenced in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
Before hearing his sentence, van der Zwaan addressed the court about his conduct in lying to federal investigators and apologized to his family and the court.
“What I did was wrong,” van der Zwaan said.
Van der Zwaan’s attorney, William Schwartz, sought to paint a sympathetic portrait of his client for the court, describing his time in the U.S. as “untethered,” with no job, routine, or friends. Van der Zwaan has been living in a Residence Inn, Schwartz said.
Schwartz also made a point of noting that his client “returned to the U.S. voluntarily to correct the record” and turned over his devices.
“He realized he had made a terrible mistake and could’ve broken the law,” Schwartz added before asking the court for “a fine without a sentence of incarceration.”
Andrew Weissman, an attorney for the special counsel, argued for jail time and pushed back against van der Zwaan’s request for leniency. Weissman agreed with Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who said at the start of the hearing that guidelines allow for a sentence of zero to six months.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Weissman said. “There’s a history of conduct that was either criminal or shows a real lack of morality.”
“He does not deserve credit for returning to the U.S.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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