Atlanta ? Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in a federal drug conspiracy case Thursday and will be sentenced to four months in federal prison and two months in a halfway house, to be served after the regular season ends in January.

Lewis still could be suspended this season by the NFL, which said Thursday it would have no immediate decision on such punishment.

Team sources told The (Baltimore) Sun that Lewis was expected to be suspended for two games by the NFL today. The league’s punishment will sideline Lewis for the Oct. 24 game against Buffalo and the Oct. 31 game at Philadelphia, the team sources, which were not identified, said Thursday night.

“I made a mistake four years ago, when I was 20 years old, that I am paying heavily for,” Lewis said outside the courthouse following his plea. “It’s a difficult time for me. My family and friends were hurt more.”

Sentencing was set for Jan. 26. The Super Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 6. Lewis, 25, pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to violate federal law by trying to set up a drug transaction more than four years ago.

Under the plea agreement, which includes 500 hours of community service, drug conspiracy and attempted cocaine possession charges will be dropped.

The conspiracy charge can carry a minimum mandatory 10-year sentence, but as a first-time offender Lewis likely would have faced a shorter sentence under federal guidelines.

“We will review the court documents from today’s proceedings and announce a decision on league discipline as soon as possible, perhaps as early as (today),” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

Even if Lewis is suspended by the league, he has five days to appeal, so he’s likely to play in Sunday night’s game against Washington.

Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis, center, speaks to reporters about his guilty plea, flanked by his attorneys, Jerry Froelich, left, and Edward Garland. Lewis pleaded guilty Thursday in Atlanta to using a cell phone to violate federal law by trying to set up a drug transaction. He agreed to serve four months in prison.

Lewis’ trial had been scheduled to start Nov. 1.

Lewis was accused of helping broker a cocaine deal for co-defendant Angelo Jackson, a childhood friend, during conversations with a government informant in Atlanta during the summer of 2000. Charges against Jackson are pending.

The FBI has said an informant contacted Lewis on his cell phone on June 23, 2000, to discuss selling cocaine to Lewis and Jackson.

The FBI said Lewis and Jackson later met the informant at an Atlanta restaurant. Both conversations were taped. Jackson and the informant met several times more during the next several weeks, but Lewis was not part of any of those conversations, court papers say.

“Jamal did not — and did not attempt to — buy, sell or possess drugs. He had no financial stake in any drug transaction,” Ravens president Dick Cass said. “We will continue to support and believe in him. He has admitted his mistake and is prepared to move on. We are prepared to move on with him.”

According to Lewis’ plea deal, he agreed to testify at Jackson’s trial if called as a witness.

Lewis ran for 2,066 yards last season, the second-highest total in NFL history.