An ex-SLED agent pleaded guilty to two charges of lying to federal agents about an investigation into an Aiken County cockfighting operation.

Keith Stokes, 40, of Lexington, faces up to five years in prison for each count and a maximum $250,000 fine on each count, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie accepted Stokes’ plea Tuesday and will sentence him in the coming months.

“It was a sad day,” said Pete Strom, Stokes’ attorney. “This police officer obviously made a mistake.”

In July, a federal grand jury indicted Stokes and S.C. Agriculture Commissioner Charles Sharpe on charges of protecting The Carolina Club, which is operated by the S.C. Gamefowl Management Association.

Prosecutors believe the association ran The Carolina Club for cockfighting matches.

Sharpe has been charged with money laundering, extortion and lying to investigators about the cockfighting operation.

In December and January, Stokes misled authorities when he denied he aided association members by giving them information concerning an investigation into their activities, prosecutors said. At the time, Stokes was an agent with the State Law Enforcement Division.

Strom noted that Stokes was not charged with a particularly egregious offense, such as obstruction of justice or bribery.

“He was charged under the same statute that Martha Stewart was charged under,” he said.

Stokes is expected to cooperate with prosecutors in any upcoming matters, including the Sharpe case.

“He’ll do anything the government asks him to do,” Strom said.

Sharpe is expected to go to trial Jan. 24.

Reach Gonzales at (803) 771-8405 or jgonzales@thestate.com.