What kind of plea deal might be in the works for Dreier?

This new article from the New York Law Journal, headlined "Dreier to Plead Guilty to All Charges, Attorney Says," reports on a high-profile white-collar prosecution that now appears headed toward a high-profile white-collar sentencing.  Here are details from the article:

Marc S. Dreier intends to plead guilty on May 11 to every count in the indictment charging him with stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from hedge funds and individuals, his attorney said Monday.

Defense attorney Gerald L. Shargel told Southern District of New York Judge Jed S. Rakoff that his client will plead to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, five counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.  Each count carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison except for the conspiracy count, which carries a five-year term....

Dreier, the founder and sole equity partner of the now defunct 250-attorney Dreier LLP, had been widely expected to plead guilty to some or all of the charges he faces in connection with a scheme in which he peddled more than $700 million in phony real estate and pension fund notes. To keep his scheme going, he paid back approximately $300 million to people who bought the bogus notes.  He is charged with selling notes to at least 13 different funds and three individuals between 2004 and 2008, with the purchase price wired to an attorney trust fund maintained by his firm....

Dreier, who was present at Monday's hearing, is effectively asking for the mercy of the court in deciding to plead guilty.  Asked after the hearing why Dreier wanted to plead guilty instead of going to trial, Shargel said,  "He wants to end it because he accepts responsibility for what he did."  Shargel also said Dreier has accomplished much in his life, but he "simply went off the tracks ... . I'm sure no one will ever know why he did what he did."

In addition to accepting responsibility, Dreier surely would also like to avoid spending the rest of his life in federal prison and a plea deal was likely the only way to minimize his risk of never being a free man again.  The question now, however, is how good a deal has he managed to secure.  Judge Rakoff has a sentencing history that should make the defense team hopeful, but Dreier's crimes may make it hard for either prosecutors or the sentencing judge to show him too much mercy come sentencing.