Editing Marion Jones (section)

===Criminal sentencing===
[[File:CarswellFMCFortWorthTX.jpg|thumb|[[Federal Medical Center, Carswell]], where Jones was imprisoned]]
Prosecutors told U.S. District Judge [[Kenneth Karas]] that any sentence between probation and six months' imprisonment would be fair (with the maximum penalty being five years in prison); Karas responded by seeking advice as to whether he could go beyond the six-month sentence. Meanwhile, Jones's lawyers asked that her penalty be limited to probation and community service, arguing, in part, that she had been punished enough by apologizing publicly, retiring from track and field, and relinquishing her five Olympic medals.

On January 11, 2008, Karas sentenced Jones to six months in jail for her involvement in the check fraud case and her use of performance-enhancing drugs.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last2=Wilson |first2=Duff |name-list-style=and |date=2008-01-12 |title=Marion Jones Sentenced to Six Months in Prison |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/12/sports/othersports/11cnd-jones.html |access-date=2024-08-17 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> During the sentencing hearing, the judge admonished her, saying that she knew what she was doing and would be punished accordingly.<ref name="Sentenced">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7182969.stm|title=Six-month jail sentence for Jones|date=January 11, 2008|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2008-01-11}}</ref> "The offenses here are serious. They each involve lies made three years apart", Karas said, adding that Jones's actions were "not a one-off mistake...but a repetition in an attempt to break the law."<ref name="Sentenced"/>

Jones was ordered to surrender on March 15, 2008. She reported four days early, on March 11, at the [[Federal Medical Center, Carswell]] prison in [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]] and was assigned [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]] register no. 84868–054.<ref name="AFP20080307"/> She was released from prison on September 5, 2008.<ref name="Released"/>