He rejected a plea-bargain agreement under which he would have received probation, law-enforcement officials said.

Legal experts also said that another potential problem in the case might be the ruse of a plea-bargain agreement with the suspect.

Were it not for the plea-bargain agreement, Mr. Robinson could have faced three and a half to 10 years in jail, if convicted.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys submitted a proposed plea-bargain agreement last week.

The guilty plea would end eight months of negotiations and appeals over the plea-bargain agreement, which was disclosed in December.

Mr. Lewis was sentenced after reaching a plea-bargain agreement in which he said he would cooperate as a government witness.

Such corroboration could increase the pressure on Mr. Barry to reach a plea-bargain agreement.

Those discussions eventually yielded a plea-bargain agreement.

Under a plea-bargain agreement, the Long Island minister was also ordered to pay about $26,000 in back taxes, interest and fines.

Michael Fortier pleads guilty in a plea-bargain agreement for his testimony.