Benjamin James Johnson, 27, of Alexandria, could be sentenced to up to five years in federal prison for the single count, but his attorney, Christopher Amolsch, said prosecutors have indicated they will not seek jail time.

The paintings were taken from the palace of Uday Hussein, one of Saddam Hussein's sons. Most of the paintings depicted Uday and Saddam Hussein.

Customs agents discovered the paintings, along with two chemical suits, a gas mask and some Iraqi monetary bonds, in Johnson's luggage at Washington Dulles International Airport when he returned from Iraq on April 17. None of the items had been declared to Customs.

Fox fired Johnson after he acknowledged bringing back the items.

Amolsch said his client has no prior criminal record and did not know he was breaking the law by bringing the paintings to the United States.

Johnson, who is to be sentenced Aug. 29, also had been charged with lying to federal agents, but prosecutors dropped that count as part of his plea bargain.

Kevin Bell, a spokesman for the Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement, said the federal government will return the paintings to Iraq once it becomes clear who should get them.

Bell said no other media members have been charged with smuggling items out of Iraq. In April, customs officials confiscated a painting and other souvenirs from Boston Herald reporter Jules Crittenden when he returned from Kuwait. The U.S. attorney in Boston decided not to charge Crittenden, who the Herald said had declared the items and cooperated with Customs.