Mueller moves to sentence George Papadopoulos, signaling key step

The move indicates that a sentencing for Papadopoulos could come this summer — without him testifying at the trials of others who may have been involved in alleged collusion with the Kremlin on its attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. No one faces such charges at the moment.

It’s also possible that the filing is a sign that the investigation has progressed to the point that prosecutors have concluded Papadopoulos’s testimony would not be useful in any future cases.

“It means they’re pretty much done with him, or they don’t need him testifying,” said former federal prosecutor Sol Wisenberg. “It may mean they’ve taken a look at the others in the campaign and decided they cannot charge them, or they’re going to charge them without him. … It means things are moving along.”