(NewsNation) — Now that former President Donald Trump has been convicted of all counts at his criminal trial in Manhattan, the U.S. Secret Service has about six weeks to finalize an unprecedented challenge — possibly protecting a former president behind bars.
By law, the agency must guard Trump around the clock. Even before opening statements, the Secret Service began preparing for the extraordinary possibility of a former president incarcerated.
But at least one expert says the possibility of Trump behind bars is very, very remote.
“It would be very odd if he got jail time,” said NewsNation trial attorney and jury consultant Renato Stabile. “These are ‘E’ felonies, the lowest level of felony in New York State. A first-time offender with E felonies … I would be very surprised to hear people going to jail in a case like this.”
The more likely scenario, he says, is probation, which would come with a number of conditions.
“Don’t commit any additional crimes, probably not possess a firearm. I don’t think he carries a gun, anyway. I don’t think his travel will be restricted. I think that would be unusual … particularly punitive under these circumstances.”
Stabile says it will be at the discretion of the probation office how frequently Trump would have to check in. Trump will be sentenced on July 11.
Still, the possibility of Trump getting prison time is something that the Secret Service has gamed out. Keeping Trump separate from other inmates and screening his food and items would be required. A rotating Secret Service detail would work 24/7, officials said. While firearms are banned in prisons, the agents would be armed.
Secret Service protections are not just afforded to current and former presidents but also to other high-ranking officials and immediate family members of protectees.
Former corrections officials identified closed New York prisons or jails that could house Trump and his protective detail, according to The New York Times.
The former chair of the now-disbanded Jan. 6 committee introduced a bill Friday that would strip Secret Service protection of any former executive convicted of a felony.
Dubbed the “Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable (DISGRACED) Former Protectees Act,” the legislation from Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., would nix the lifelong protection given to former presidents if they are convicted and sentenced for a felony that carries a year or more in prison time.
If convicted and elected president again, Trump could not self-pardon because the case was brought by the state of New York.
NewsNation affiliate The Hill contributed to this report.
