State Attorney Jeff Ashton admitted at a press conference Sunday that he was a member of the Ashley Madison website, a paid dating service for people looking to have an extramarital affair.
Hackers released the list of the alleged clients on the site last month.
“I hope the public will judge me on my 35 years of service, and not a bad mistake,” he said at an afternoon press conference Sunday.
The announcement for the press conference came after WFTV's request for an interview regarding the initial published reports on the website East Orlando Post.
Ashton said at the press conference that although he had an account with the site, he never met anyone and never had an affair.
"I did something incredibly stupid. It never went beyond curiosity," he said.
Ashton said he created the account using his personal email address.
Ashton got choked up during the announcement and said he deeply regrets his affiliation with the sit and the affect it may have on his family.
"I did not commit a crime," he said.
He went on to say that he had no intentions of stepping down.
"I think I've humiliated myself enough for one weekend. Tomorrow morning I go back to work, he said.
Ashton gained notoriety as the lead prosecutor in the Casey Anthony murder trial.
He ran for state attorney in 2012 and is not up for reelection until 2016.
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