"You have done the right thing, one thousand percent," were the words told by lawyers to their client, The Real Housewives of New Jersey husband Joe Giudice, as told by a close source to Radar Online. This was after he entered his plea to "guilty" for driver's license fraud which will result to imprisonment, suspension of his driver's license for up to 2 years, and a possible deportation.
The legally troubled reality star faced a fourth-degree charge of unlawful possession as he appeared at the Passaic County Courthouse in Paterson last Wednesday for a hearing with Judge Adam Jacobs. According to Radar Online, Giudice would have had to serve 10 more years in prison on top of the 41-month sentence for mortgage fraud, had he not accepted the guilty plea. But since he waived his right to trial by jury, it made his prison term run to a maximum only of 18 months which will be coterminous with his federal sentence. Furthermore, the 42-year old reality star will have his license suspended for a minimum of 6 months and maximum of 24 months. In addition, he will have to pay the fine amounting to a maximum of $10,000. Official sentencing will start on March 20,2015.
Having to care for 4 young daughters while his wife serves her term starting January 2015 may be highly difficult for Joe, but Judge Jacobs seemed undisturbed by this future condition of the reality star. Worse, the judge even warned Joe that he could be deported, as Giudice is a citizen of Italy and never acquired U.S. Citizenship. The hearings for the deportation case will begin shortly after the sentencing in March.
Joe's countenance has the look of relief after he entered his plea according to a source of Radar. Meanwhile, his wife Teresa Giudice and legal advisor Wendy Feldman were not present during the hearing.
