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Justin Timberlake pleads guilty in drunken driving case

  • Justin Timberlake faced a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated
  • Police said he failed to stop at stop sign, was unable to stay in lane
  • Timberlake plead guilty to a lesser charge in new plea deal

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(NewsNation) — Singer Justin Timberlake accepted a plea deal Friday in his New York drunken driving case, pleading guilty to a lesser traffic offense after his June arrest in the Hamptons.

The boy band singer-turned-solo star and actor appeared in Sag Harbor Village Court to formally enter the new plea, prosecutors said.

The judge sentenced Timberlake, 43, to a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge and 25 hours of community service at the nonprofit of his choosing.

The pop star originally pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated, with Village of Sag Harbor Justice Carl Irace suspending his license because Timberlake refused to take a breathalyzer test when he was pulled over June 18.

Justin Timberlake’s arrest

Timberlake was pulled over in the Hamptons on New York’s Long Island after police said he failed to stop at a stop sign and was unable to maintain his lane of travel. Court documents described the singer as having “bloodshot and glassy eyes” when he refused the breathalyzer.

Timberlake initially claimed he had only had one martini while with friends. The arrest sparked rumors of alcohol and drug use by the former NSYNC star, reports his friends denied.

The judge also reprimanded Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke Jr., for comments in a previous hearing where Burke attempted to have the charges thrown out.

Justin Timberlake in a mugshot after a DWI arrest Monday, June 17.
Justin Timberlake in a mugshot after a DWI arrest Monday, June 17. (Sag Harbor Police Department)

Justin Timberlake’s career woes

The singer hasn’t been charged with driving while intoxicated before, although he did cause controversy in 2016 when he took a selfie in front of a voting booth in Tennessee — a violation of state law.

Timberlake later addressed the controversy during an appearance on “The Tonight Show,” saying he didn’t know it was illegal and was merely trying to inspire people. According to Reuters, authorities in Tennessee did not investigate the incident.

The arrest compounds Timberlake’s career woes after his latest album flopped and concert tour sales struggled. It also follows controversy last year when Britney Spears alleged in her memoir that Timberlake had cheated on her and pressured her to have an abortion during their relationship in the early 2000s.

  • Singers Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake in the audience at the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards in New York
  • Britney Spears, left, and Justin Timberlake arrive at the 28th Annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, 2001.
  • Justin Timberlake performs "Selfish" on Saturday, January 27, 2024
  • Justin Timberlake on Nov. 9, 2023 in New York City, New York.
  • Justin Timberlake of N'Sync performs at World Aids Day Benefit Beacon Theater, New York, December 1999.
  • Justin Timberlake performs onstage during his "The Forget Tomorrow" world tour at Rogers Arena on April 29, 2024
  • Justin TImberlake performs during the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre on April 01, 2024 in Hollywood, California

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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