UTICA, ONEIDA CO. -- A convicted sex offender admits he sent a threatening letter to a federal judge.

59-year-old Steven Willette, of Schuyler Falls, pleaded guilty to one count of mailing threatening communications.

Federal prosecutors say Willette sent the threatening letters on October 22, 2010 from the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome where he was a prisoner. The letters were sent to a U.S. District Court Judge, a New York Supreme Court Judge, a Clinton County Supreme Court Judge, and a Franklin County Supreme Court Judge, all of whom were involved in Willette's previous convictions. He was previously convicted of sexual abuse and failure to report a change in address as a sex offender.

Willette faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he's sentenced on August 10 in Utica. He is currently in the custody of U.S. Marshals pending his sentencing.