Attorney Jeffrey Abramowitz was sentenced Friday to 60 months in prison for embezzling more than $1 million from family and clients, and, much to the surprise of those in the courtroom, was immediately taken into custody.

Abramowitz, 48, had pled guilty in late September to one count each of filing a false tax return, wire and mail fraud. It was, in part, his actions during his pre-sentence release that caused U.S. District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to deny any downward variance requested by the defense and impose a sentence toward the higher end of Abramowitz’s guideline range of 51 to 63 months. She said she would take his public service into account in denying the government’s request of an upward variance to at least 84 months.