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Former Congressman Anthony Weiner was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for sexting a 15-year-old girl via Skype in 2016, according to Newsday.
Weiner, 53, appeared in federal court in Manhattan on Monday morning.
Former Congressman Anthony Weiner just entered federal courthouse in Manhattan. Set to be sentenced this morning for sexting 15yo girl.
Federal prosecutors asked for Weiner to be sentenced to jail for 21 to 27 months for the crime, according to the Associated Press.
“The defendant did far more than exchange typed words on a lifeless cellphone screen with a faceless stranger,” prosecutors wrote to the judge. “Transmitting obscenity to a minor to induce her to engage in sexually explicit conduct by video chat and photo — is far from mere ‘sexting.'”
The maximum sentence is 10 years behind bars.
Weiner’s defense attorney told the judge that his client was “filled with regret,” according to Newsday.
Weiner in tearful statement to judge: “The crime I committed was my rock bottom. but i am truly grateful that it began me on my recovery.”
A tearful Weiner, reading from a statement, proclaims: “I’m an addict.”
Weiner’s estranged wife, Huma Abedin, who is a top aide to Hillary Clinton, asked the judge for no jail time. Abedin has filed for divorce from the disgraced politician in May and is seeking full custody of their young son.
The girl involved in the case, who is from North Carolina, has not been identified because she is a minor.
Judge says she’s received letters from victim’s father and grandfather and Weiner’s response. Judge has sealed the letters, she said.
Hillary Clinton blamed her loss in the 2016 presidential race on then-FBI Director James Comey, who reopened the investigation into her private email server just days before the election. FBI agents who were investigating Weiner discovered that many of Clinton’s emails were forwarded to Weiner’s laptop.
Weiner resigned from Congress in 2011 after being caught sending lewd photos to several women and then trying to cover it up.
Anthony Weiner, sentenced to 21 mths in federal prison, quickly departs courthouse w/lawyer. Heckler references “Carlos Danger” pseudonym.