He is likely to get sentenced but he will appeal.
Well, all convicted criminals appeal their sentence, usually with little to no success.
He is indicted in a murder-for-hire in Maryland additionaly, which
can still be used.
"Ulbricht allegedly agreed to pay $80,000 for the hit, half in advance and half when he had "proof" it was done.
But he was dealing with an undercover agent (UC) the whole time, and the authorities fooled him with staged images:
On or about February 21, 2013, Ross Ulbricht communicated with the UC via the Internet, to discuss the murder of the Employee. The UC told Ross Ulbricht that the Employee "died of asphyxiation/heart rupture" while being tortured. Via the Internet, the UC transmitted a staged photograph that purported to depict the Employee's dead body.
Ulbricht, upon receipt of the fake picture, then wired the other $40,000. "I'm pissed I had to kill him but what's done is done," he said, according to the indictment." -
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/10/ross-ulbricht-silk-road-murder-plot-indictment.htmlUnlike most other criminals he does have a legit reason (actually multiple) as to what he can appeal. This is primarily focused around 4th amendment issues, however other possibilities would include things like the judge disallowing certain lines of questioning that the defense can ask witnesses