Michael Avenatti Temporarily Released from NY Prison Because of Coronavirus

U.S. district court judge James Selna ruled Saturday that attorney Michael Avenatti, who was convicted of attempting to extort over $20 million from Nike, should be released from custody for 90 days because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kara Scannell of CNN reported Avenatti will be released from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City after his lawyers argued he was at risk of suffering serious complications if he contracted COVID-19. Avenatti had pneumonia last year.

He'll have to spend 14 days in quarantine before receiving clearance to travel to a friend's home in California on $1 million bond, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach.

Avenatti faces up to 42 years in prison when he's sentenced in June on charges of attempted extortion and honest services fraud after being found guilty in February, according to Schlabach.

"I think he's in a bit of a state of shock," defense attorney Danya Perry told reporters after the verdict. "But he's a fighter, as you all know, and he's staying strong."

The 49-year-old California native has pleaded not guilty on separate indictments related to the alleged embezzlement of $300,000 from former client Stormy Daniels, per Scannell. Those trials are scheduled for later this year.

Avenatti must wear an an electronic monitoring device and avoid using the internet for the duration of his temporary release, per Schlabach.

He'll be expected back at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in July.