The Patriots seem to be caught.  They have not yet made their case, but ESPN  says this:

Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots “multiple draft picks” because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents.

The Patriots will be allowed an opportunity to present their case by Friday, sources said, most likely via the telephone.

 ”Multiple draft picks” does not seem to me to be a stiff penalty for consciously breaking the rules.  They did not just stumble upon info that gave them an advantage, they made a plot to cheat.  Belichick should be canned and suspended form the league.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said this to ESPN:

“There is an investigation going on now, and perhaps an adjudication of it, and I think it would be inappropriate at this time to make any comment,” Kraft told reporters at a charity appearance Tuesday. “When you’re successful in anything, a lot of people like to try to take you down and do different things. We understand that.

“We worked very hard to try to put an organization together that we all could be proud of in New England, and we’re very proud of the New England Patriots organization and the record that they’ve established over the last 13 seasons and one game.”

If the integrity of his team is important to him, Kraft won’t wait for the league, he’ll fire Belichick once the case is proven.  If he does not, I will have to wonder how much he knew about, and sanctioned, this effort.