Bernie Ward, a former Catholic priest who worked in talk radio for more than 20 years in the Bay Area, made his admission in a plea deal, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Ward, 57, was indicted in December on three counts of distributing and receiving child pornography.

Ward's attorney, Doron Weinberg, said at the time the charges were based on incidents that happened more than four years ago as part of research for a book. Federal law prohibits receipt, possession and distribution of child pornography regardless of intent, the newspaper said.

Weinberg told the Chronicle Friday that Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker was set to accept Ward's guilty plea but agreed to hold off at Weinberg's request, since Ward could have been sent to prison immediately if a guilty plea had been officially submitted Friday.

Weinberg said U.S. prosecutors signaled they would ask that Ward be sent to prison for nine years when he is sentenced Aug. 28. Federal law requires a minimum sentence of five years.