In the lead-up to his sentencing, an unrepentant Conrad Black declared that jail would be a bore. Now he has just discovered he will have up to eight years of boredom behind bars.

Judge Amy St Eve has ruled that sentencing guideline range is between six to eight years, according to the latest news reports. That means Black, who celebrated his 63rd birthday in August, could be in his 70s when he gets out. Still, it's better than 24 years the prosecutors were seeking.

In another blow to prosecutors, the judge ruled that she would using the sentencing guidelines from 2000, not the harsher ones of 2007, and bagged the prosecutors' loss claim of $32.5 million. Instead, the loss claim has been put at $6.1 million, slightly above the $5.5 million Black's lawyers were seeking. The judge's leniency is striking given the pressure she was under to impose a longer term in the light of Black's lack of remorse and his repeated attacks on the US judicial system.

Still, professing his innocence, Black has claimed he will be vindicated on appeal.

Professor Peter Henning has a good summation of what to watch out for, including which prison, at his White Collar Crime Prof blog.

So what should Black expect once he gets to jail? Check out The Times. As a non-American, Lord Black cannot qualify for a "minimum-security" Club Fed prison camp. Instead, he will be sent to "low-security" US prison. That means he will have to share a dormitory with drug offenders and child pornographers.