Michael 'The Situation' Sorrentino, known for his role on the "Jersey Shore" TV show, admitted Friday to not paying the full amount of taxes for 2011.

The reality television star pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion in federal court in Newark before Judge Susan D. Wigenton as part of a plea deal in the tax case, in which he faced a 14-count indictment.

Sorrentino admitted to depositing less than $10,000 at a time to attempt to avoid suspicion at the Internal Revenue Service.

Wigenton gave Sorrentino permission to travel to Miami to film a "Jersey Shore" reunion show before he is sentenced on April 25.

The charge he pleaded guilty to carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison but his attorney, Henry Klingeman, told reporters after the hearing he hopes his client avoids jail time.

"Typically, a defendant who has this type of plea agreement does not go to prison and we're hoping Mike is not an exception to that," Klingeman said.

Sorrentino, 36, will pay $123,000 in restitution, Klingeman said.

Sorrentino's brother, Marc, also pleaded guilty Friday to a count of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns for income earned in 2010, 2011 and 2012. He faces three years in prison. His attorney, Michael D'Alessio Jr., could not be reached for comment Friday.

Michael Sorrentino, followed by a trail of news cameras and reporters, declined to comment on the guilty plea as he left the courthouse.

Klingeman said Sorrentino "deeply regrets his failure to pay taxes" but that he "only played a minor role in the actual misconduct."

"Mike was out doing his job -- which is entertaining people, making personal appearances, filming the show -- and there were other people who were supposed to be managing the financial house and didn't," Klingeman said. "He has to bear responsibility for that."

Sorrentino, wearing a gray suit, white dress shirt and a black tie, said little in the courtroom other than responding "yes" or "no" to Wigenton's questions. Prior to the judge taking the bench, Michael Sorrentino shared laughs with his attorney and kissed his fiance, Lauren Pesce.

Authorities previously said the Sorrentino brothers, exploiting Michael Sorrentino's success following the popular MTV reality show "Jersey Shore," earned approximately $8.9 million between 2010 and 2012. The brothers did not pay all federal income tax owed on this revenue, authorities said.

The two brothers ran the businesses MPS Entertainment LLC and Situation Nation Inc., a nod to Michael Sorrentino's nickname. Authorities said the two businesses made money through personal and television appearances by Michael Sorrentino, a partnership interest in a vodka company, an online clothing business, product endorsements, an autobiography and a comic book featuring Sorrentino as a superhero.

Authorities accused the brothers of evading the IRS by filing false tax returns, underreporting their income and mixing personal and business bank accounts, using the money from business bank accounts for personal items such as luxury vehicles and clothing.

In April, a superseding indictment was filed claiming Michael Sorrentino failed to file a personal tax return in 2011.

The new indictment charged Michael Sorrentino with tax evasion, structuring bank deposits to avoid reporting requirements and falsifying records. Marc Sorrentino was charged with falsifying records to obstruct a grand jury investigation.

Both brothers were charged in 2014 with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which is punishable by a maximum potential prison sentence of five years upon conviction. Both also faced counts of filing false returns, each of which carries a maximum three-year sentence.

The Sorrentinos, who grew up in Manalapan, have been free on bail since they were charged. They had pleaded not guilty.

The trial was scheduled to start in late April, but Klingeman said he had been "in regular contact" with the U.S. attorney's office in the last 10 days "in an effort to resolve the case." This week, the brothers wrote a letter to the judge indicating that they wanted to change their pleas.

In a 30-minute special for E! that aired in August, "Reunion Roadtrip: Return to the Jersey Shore," Michael Sorrentino was asked about the allegations against him by fellow castmate Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi.

"Years later, I still don't know what happened to be honest with you," Sorrentino said.

She said after Sorrentino was audited by the IRS, all the castmates received audits from the agency.

"Do not f*** with the IRS," she said.

Sorrentino told Polizzi at the time he had been sober for 18 months.

"I've worked hard to change," he said.

Klingeman, his attorney, said on Friday that Sorrentino has been sober for two years and "has spent the past several years turning his life into something positive."

Michael Sorrentino appeared on all six seasons of the "Jersey Shore," and will also be featured in the new MTV series "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation," which is scheduled to air in 2018.

NJ Advance Media reporter Thomas Moriarty and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips