"Can't Believe This is Happening in America": Trump Arrested in Manhattan, Faces up to 136 YEARS in Prison

“Donald J. Trump is now under arrest” pic.twitter.com/LpJStVMlyy

— Acyn (@Acyn) April 4, 2023

Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court for his booking and arraignment over hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. pic.twitter.com/4J8kthD8PV

— The Recount (@therecount) April 4, 2023

BREAKING: Trump enters courtroom to be arraigned on criminal charges

Watch Live >> https://t.co/BsmBje4sDO pic.twitter.com/W9OOrAAwYO

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 4, 2023

MSNBC's @jonathanalter on a rogue prosecutor inventing new legal standards by which to kneecap a presidential candidate: "It’s really important to understand that what’s happening today is very much in line with what the Founders envisioned" pic.twitter.com/TXdEzTwGQf

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 4, 2023

Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records as he faced a New York judge - and became the first President of the United states to be arraigned and charged with a crime.

'Not guilty,' Trump said when asked how he pleaded.

Trump, 76, sat alongside his defense team in the Manhattan court room with his hands folded on his lap and a stony-faced look for the unprecedented hearing in the Stormy Daniels hush money case.

The charges are related to a $30,000 payoff to a doorman who was trying to sell information about a child that Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock; $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a $130,000 payment to Daniels.

'It's not just about one payment,' District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a press conference after the hearing. 'It is 34 business records. Uh 34 false statements and business records. They were concealing criminal conduct.'

All together the charges - falsifying business records in the first degree - carry a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison under New York law but, even if convicted on all charges, it's unlikely Trump would be sentenced to that much time. Each charge is a low level felony that carries a maximum of four years in prison for each count.

There was no formal conspiracy charge but the state of facts released by prosecutors describes how Trump 'orchestrated a scheme' with others 'to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects.'

During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy argued the payments were part of 'an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined' Trump's presidential campaign.

Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan district attorney's office in lower Manhattan, where he is under arrest and in police custody before his upcoming arraignment.

Trump is expected to be fingerprinted as part of the arrest, though it's still unclear whether his mugshot will be taken. He will next be brought to a courtroom, where he will be arraigned — an appearance that is expected to be quick and routine but represents a surreal and historic moment in US history.

Trump is not expected to be handcuffed following his arrest, as he will remain under constant law enforcement protection.

Donald Trump will be placed under arrest on Tuesday and informed that he has been charged with 34 felony counts for falsification of business records, according to a source who has been briefed on the procedures for the arraignment of the former president.

A New York City police arrest report summarizing the charges against Trump will then be prepared and entered into the court system before he is led into a courtroom to be formally arraigned on the charges, none of which are misdemeanors.