AceShowbiz - American football Hall of Fame legend Lawrence Taylor has pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and soliciting a prostitute in a bid to stay out of jail. The former New York Giants linebacker was initially charged with raping a 16-year-old Bronx runaway, criminal sexual acts, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child after he was arrested at a Ramapo, New York hotel last May.

In July, Taylor, 51, entered a not guilty plea. Taylor will be sentenced in March and is expected to be put on probation for six years with sex offender conditions, and fined. His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said he would argue at the hearing against Taylor's having to register as a Level 1, or low-risk, sex offender, as recommended under New York's Megan's Law Statute.

"It's rare that a case of this nature ends so swiftly," Aidala said after court. "I was optimistic he would have been cleared had he gone to trial. [But] he didn't want to put anyone through the stress ...he did what he thought would be in everyone's best interest."