Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis has pleaded guilty to one count of criminal contempt, according to a report by TMZ.com. Under the plea deal, Francis will be fined $5,010 and sentenced to 35 days in jail, minus the twelve days he has already served.
U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak found Francis in contempt of court last month for allegedly shouting obscenities and threatening three female plaintiffs during mediation in a civil suit. Smoak suspended his decision after learning that Francis had come to a mutually-agreed settlement with the plaintiffs, but reinstated the charge when lawyers for the plaintiffs claimed that Francis reneged on the terms. Francis then ignored Smoak's order to surrender to U.S. marshals on the contempt citation.
According to the TMZ.com report, Francis still must deal with state officials, who want him brought up after he was found bringing cash and prescription drugs into the county jail. The original plan, according to the Bay County Sheriff, was to arrest Francis once he's done with his federal jail time.
