Disgraced ex-Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner pleaded guilty in federal court Friday (May 19) to sexting a 15-year-old girl.
As part of his plea agreement, Weiner, 52, must register as a sex offender and has agreed to not appeal any sentence between 21 to 27 months in prison, USA Today reports. He also agreed to surrender his passport and iPhone as part of the deal.
In court, Weiner admitted to “sharing explicit images” with the North Carolina teenager, who he knew was underage, and ”encouraging her to engage in sexually explicit conduct.” He reportedly broke down in tears as he apologized to his victim.
“I have a sickness, but I do not have an excuse,” Weiner told Manhattan Federal Judge Loretta Preska. The former politician was released on $150,000 bond and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept 8. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Just hours after his court appearance, Weiner’s wife and longtime #HillaryClinton aide, Huma Abedin, filed for divorce, a source close to the family told NBC New York. The couple has one child together, a son, Jordan, 5.
But this isn’t Weiner’s first sexting scandal. He was forced to resign from Congress in 2011 after he accidentally posted a semi-nude selfie on Twitter. A year later, he got caught sending nudes to a 22-year-old woman under the alias “Carlos Danger.” In August 2015, he got busted sending another woman a pic of himself wearing only underwear, lying in bed next to his then 3-year old son.
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