Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aide, pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to conspiracy against the U.S. and making a false statement. Sentencing guidelines were suggested at 57 to 71 months.
The charges stem from the special counsel's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Gates' plea comes one day after Robert Mueller filed a new 32-count indictment against Gates and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. The new charges relate to events that took place long before the 2016 presidential race.
Both pleaded not guilty when they were previously indicted in October. But in recent weeks, multiple news outlets reported Gates was working on a plea deal with Mueller's office.
As we've previously reported, Gates' plea agreement is important because of the work he did on President Donald Trump's campaign and his close ties to Manafort. The deal could mean Gates has more information to share with Mueller's team.
Gates is now the fifth person to plead guilty in connection with Mueller's Russia probe.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
