Story highlights Former Sheriff Lee Baca pleads guilty in jail corruption probe

The sheriff retired in 2014

Los Angeles (CNN) Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to federal investigators conducting a corruption and civil rights probe into the county jail system he once ran.

Baca entered the plea in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Percy Anderson. Sentencing was set for May 16.

Baca's attorney, Michael Zweiback, said the former sheriff entered the plea, in part, because he has "immense respect" for the sheriff's department and did not want to continue to "distract from their mission."

"He feels badly that this has been a cloud hanging over the department," Zweiback said. "He is truly sorry that he put them through this."

He said Baca "accepts full responsibility for what he plead guilty to" and is looking forward to sentencing and moving on with his life.

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