Andrea Sneiderman sentenced to 5 years in prison

DeKalb County Judge Gregory Adams sentenced Andrea Sneiderman to serve five years -- minus time already served -- after a jury found her guilty on nine felonies. The judge issued sentencing just before 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Ms. Sneiderman returned to the DeKalb County Courthouse Tuesday for her sentencing. Wearing the orange jumper after spending the night at the DeKalb County Jail, she walked in quietly. She hugged members of her legal team and took her seat at the table.

DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James spoke first, putting forth his request for Ms. Sneiderman's sentencing -- 20 years.

Next, Steven Sneiderman -- brother of murder victim and Ms. Sneiderman's husband, Rusty Sneiderman -- spoke for his family. He spoke to his parents' pain drawn out for years leading up to the sentencing.

"They have been tortured by this common criminal for nearly three years. They were forced to bury their son, a burden that no parent should even have to face. And then forced to relive the drama over and over again," Stephen Sneiderman said.

Then, speaking to upcoming statements to made on Ms. Sneiderman's behalf, Stephen said, "We will be forced to watch a parade of this criminal's pathetic enablers come forward again and demand special treatment for her. They will be here shortly to do what they have been told to do by this convicted felon."

Sneiderman was accused of making false statements, hindering an investigation and perjury related to the investigation of the 2010 murder of her husband, Rusty, and the trial of the man convicted in the shooting. Rusty Sneiderman was shot outside of a Dunwoody daycare. Andrea's former boss, Hemy Neuman, is serving a life sentence in the murder.

Several people spoke out on Andrea Sneiderman's behalf, many pointing to the two children -- Ian and Sophia -- that would be left without a mother as Ms. Sneiderman serves out her prison sentence. At one point, as one person recalled the family tradition of Andrea baking a cake for her children's birthdays, Ms. Sneiderman appeared overcome by emotion and tears.

After eight witnesses testified on her behalf, Andrea Sneiderman made a personal appeal.

"Your Honor, I'm here to ask for your leniency for the sake of my children," she said. "One of my greatest regrets will always be allowing this predator into my life… I viewed Mr. Newman as a mentor. Allowing him to get too close to me on an emotional level was a complete betrayal, as I've never shared my personal feelings with any man other than Rusty. But I want to be clear: there was no physical romance between Mr. Newman and me: no sex, no kissing, nothing."

Count 1: Hindering the apprehension of a criminal – Guilty
Count 2: Concealment of material facts –  Guilty
Count 3: False Statement – Guilty
Count 4: Perjury – Not Guilty
Count 5: False Statement – Not Guilty
Count 6: Perjury – Guilty
Count 7: Perjury – Not Guilty
Count 8: False Statement – Guilty
Count 9: Perjury – Guilty
Count 10: False Statement – Guilty
Count 11: Perjury – Guilty
Count 12: Perjury – Guilty
Count 13: Perjury: Not Guilty

Judge Adams sentenced Ms. Sneiderman to serve five years each for counts one, two, three, six, eight and 10. Each five-year sentence would be served concurrently, meaning that she'll serve five years total.

Counts nine, eleven and twelve -- for which the jury also found Sneiderman guilty -- were rolled into count six, Judge Adams said.

An expert told FOX 5's Portia Bruner that because Andrea Sneiderman is a first-time offender, it's likely that she'll be eligible for probation after about a year.

RELATED LINK: Defense calls Sneiderman charges 'absolutely false'