By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Donald Trump will, in fact, see the inside of a jail cell — at least temporarily.
According to the local sheriff’s statement, the four-times indicted and twice-impeached former president has received orders to turn himself in at the Fulton County jail.
Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted on Aug. 14 in the Georgia 2020 election subversion case.
Trump faces 13 criminal counts, including racketeering.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has set a deadline for noon on Aug. 25 for Trump and the others to turn themselves in.
“At this point, based on guidance received from the district attorney’s office and presiding judge, it is expected that all 19 defendants named in the indictment will be booked at the Rice Street Jail,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
“Keep in mind, defendants can turn themselves in at any time. The jail is open 24/7,” the news release states.
“Also, due to the unprecedented nature of this case, some circumstances may change with little or no warning.”
Most defendants charged in Fulton County are typically booked at the Fulton County jail, and Sheriff Pat Labat has stated that he intends to treat Trump just like any other defendant.
“Unless someone tells me differently, we will be following normal practices. It doesn’t matter your status; we will have mug shots ready for you,” Labat said earlier this month on CNN.
The sheriff also clarified that unlike Trump’s other three indictments where he turned himself inside a closed courthouse, the former president must surrender at the county jail.
Defendants like Trump and his associates, who are not immediately arrested upon indictment, often negotiate bond and other terms of release with the district attorney’s office if necessary.
Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s former lawyer, announced that he plans to surrender to authorities next week.
He mentioned that he expects to be granted bail.
“Kind of silly for me to have bail. I mean, I showed up there voluntarily and testified,” Giuliani said in a televised interview.
A detailed investigation led by Willis has revealed numerous attempts by Trump’s allies to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
The former president, whom a civil jury in New York earlier this year found liable of sexual assault, is accused of leading a “criminal enterprise” involved in a larger conspiracy to reverse his electoral loss in Georgia.
The charges in the indictment include making false statements and soliciting state legislatures and high-ranking state officials.
It also includes creating and sharing false Electoral College documents, harassing election workers, and soliciting Justice Department officials and then-Vice President Mike Pence.
Additionally, the charges include unlawfully breaching election equipment and engaging in acts of obstruction.
Former Trump lawyers John Eastman and Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows are among the defendants.
The indictment also included an additional 30 unindicted co-conspirators in addition to the charged defendants.
Trump is now facing 91 charges across four separate indictments while he’s running for president in 2024. If convicted on all the charges, Trump could face more than 800 years in prison.
He denies any wrongdoing and has slammed the cases as politically motivated.
