Article snippet: A former Trump aide’s plea deal on Friday appears to dangle the possibility that he will get probation – no jail time – after cooperating with the special counsel’s Russia investigation. Buried in the plea agreement with Richard Gates, who was an aide to President Donald Trump’s election campaign, is a reference by prosecutors to a special provision in sentencing guidelines that offers a great reward for those willing to help them. “A defendant who has provided substantial assistance in the investigation or prosecution of another person who has committed an offense may be sentenced to a term of supervised release that is less than any minimum required by statute or the guidelines,” the statute says. The plea agreement goes further, saying that if Gates fully cooperates, he will “then be free to argue for any sentence below the advisory sentencing guideline range.” And prosecutors added in the deal that they “may not oppose defendant’s application” if his help proves valuable. Veteran white-collar criminal defense lawyer Robert Bennett told ABC News that the deal looks to him like a “very favorable” outcome for the 45-year-old Gates, who pleaded guilty Friday to federal conspiracy and false statements charges. “He’s a young man," Bennett said. "He has a family. There is a big difference between a couple years in jail and 10 or 15 or 20. And there is the possibility that the government, if he is fully cooperative, could come in and go along with a pro... Link to the full article to read more