Justin Timberlake pleaded guilty to drunk driving after his arrest in June in Long Island, New York.
The musician appeared with his attorney Edward Burke Jr. on Sept. 13 for a hearing in Sag Harbor City Court after reaching a settlement in his drunk driving case.
According to the plea agreement, Timberlake must perform 25 to 40 hours of community service with a nonprofit organization of his choice… and pay a $500 fine.
The singer is also required to issue a public safety statement.
Timberlake, who performed on stage and spoke to his fans about the arrest A few days after the incident, he also addressed reporters this afternoon.
“Many of you have been with me for most of my life, and as you probably know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard,” Timberlake said at a news conference outside the courthouse.
“It wasn’t that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision, but I had some time to reflect on it.”
The artist also told the court he “would like to take a moment to show gratitude to everyone involved” and said that, having grown up in a small town, he understands “the strain this can put” on local resources.
Timberlake just before the official start of summer for drunk driving in the Hamptons.
The former boy band member was held in police custody overnight ahead of an arraignment hearing, where he was charged with a single count of drunk driving and two traffic violations.
He was released on bail the next day.
Based on the arrest report, an officer allegedly saw Timberlake’s BMW 2025 run a stop sign and “fail to maintain the right side of the road.”
After the officer initiated a traffic stop, he noticed that Timberlake’s “eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanated from his breath… and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests.”
During a previous hearing, the star also had his license suspended for a year in New York state because he refused a breathalyzer test after being taken to the police station following his arrest — something his attorney said is “standard for all DUIs.”
Following Timberlake’s statement in court on Friday, the judge questioned the artist’s “intent,” telling JT that he had yet to directly address his decision to drive when he could have taken a taxi or used a ride-sharing app.
“I found myself in a position where I should have thought about it a little bit,” Timberlake responded.
“I should have used better judgment. I understand and appreciate the seriousness of this.”