Burress sentenced to two years in prison

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday on a gun charge, officials said.

The charges stemmed from an accidental shooting at a Manhattan nightclub last November.

Burress, who was set to begin serving his sentence immediately, pleaded guilty Aug. 20 to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon and agreed to serve two years in jail.

Burress faced a reduced charge after a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was initially indicted on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment.

The former Super Bowl hero will likely serve 20 months in prison, with time off for good behavior, and will also serve two years of supervised release.

Burress shot himself in the thigh with an unlicensed gun in the nightclub incident. He was facing at least 3 1/2 years in prison if convicted at a trial on a weapons charge before making the plea agreement.

Burress, released by the Giants in April, caught the winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl after the 2007 season.