body: In a recent [article](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/01/trumps-ex-national-security-adviser-michael-flynn-charged-with-lying-to-fbi) in the Guardian:
  
  
  
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  > After months of silence and invisibility, Flynn walked into a federal courthouse in Washington DC on Friday morning and pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI. The plea was part of a larger deal with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team, and strikes at the heart of the Trump White House.
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  What are the possible penalities that Flynn could face? One article in New York Times mentioned a punitive five years in prison. Presumably a plea bargain reduces the maximum number of years he could face behind bars. Is there any other precedent that could give us some idea of what he might be facing in this situation - or is this situation entirely unprecedented?
  
  
  The Guardian does mention:
  
  
  
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  > He faces a possible sentence of up to six months in prison in his guilty plea to the false statements charge.
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  How accurate is this assessment, or do we just have to wait and see?
  
  
  
title: What are the possible punitive actions that Michael Flynn faces as he pleads guilty to one charge of lying to the FBI?