Law360, New York ( January 9, 2015, 8:52 AM EST) -- On Jan. 6, 2015, former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was sentenced to two years in prison following his public corruption conviction for using the governor's office to help a dietary supplement executive in exchange for loans and gifts, including a Rolex and a joy ride in a Ferrari. The sentence was significant because it marked a large reduction from the 10- to 12-year sentence recommended by the U.S. Probation Office and the six- to eight-year sentence that the court calculated using the sentencing guidelines. While this high-profile public corruption case garnered a great deal of publicity, the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer warrants particular attention given the lessons that can be drawn from how Judge Spencer got to that result....