WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., pleaded guilty Friday to transferring obscene material to a minor in a case involving sexting with a 15-year-old girl.
Weiner, who resigned from Congress in 2011 amid a separate sexting scandal, wept openly in federal court and said he accepts full responsibility for his conduct.
'I have a sickness, but I do not have an excuse,' Weiner said. 'I apologize to everyone I have hurt. I apologize to the teenage girl, whom I mistreated so badly. I am committed to making amends to all those I have harmed.'
Weiner admitted to sending sexually explicit images and directions to engage in sexual conduct to a girl he knew to be 15 years old.
As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors asked that Weiner serve between 21 and 27 months in prison. He must also register as a sex offender.
'Weiner's conduct was not only reprehensible, but a federal crime, one for which he is now convicted and will be sentenced,' said acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon Kim.
The estranged husband of top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin, Weiner was released on bail pending sentencing scheduled for September 8th.
Weiner's name resurfaced during the presidential election when emails from Clinton to Abedin containing classified information were found on his laptop.
The discovery led then-FBI Director James Comey to reveal that the agency was re-opening its investigation of Clinton's use of a private email server, just 11 days before the election.
Two days before the election, the FBI once again cleared Clinton of criminal charges related to her use of a private email server while Secretary of State.
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