St. Peters Mayor Shawn Brown pleaded guilty to a felony bribery charge Friday in federal court, and some city officials were perplexed afterwards when they learned Brown still claimed to be mayor.

"Right now, he’s mayor," his attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said outside the courthouse after the hearing. "And what happens after that is between the mayor and the city."

By law, a person who holds public office who is convicted of a crime shall give up that office upon sentencing. But it can also be interpreted to say that he shall give up the office after pleading guilty.

Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11. In his plea agreement, sentencing guidelines for his behavior say he could get 18 to 24 months in prison. The judge, U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey, could give him a different sentence. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine.

"I’m stunned, because he’s not willing to just walk away," said alderman David Hayes, one of Brown’s critics. "The city of St. Peters is going to come to a standstill now. How can a city function with a mayor who has admitted he’s a felon?"

As board president, Bruce Holt would serve as interim mayor and call a meeting within ten days to elect someone to fill the position until the next municipal election. That will be in April, and candidates may run to fill the rest of the term, which ends in April 2008.

Holt said Friday afternoon that St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas has started proceedings to remove Brown from the office. Banas said he would speak to Rosenblum to find out whether Brown intended to resign, to see if he needed to take any action to remove him from office.

Brown was indicted in August on a charge of soliciting and accepting a $2,750 bribe from Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., which in June got the contract to install red-light cameras in St. Peters. Brown is accused of telling a Redflex employee he would veto the bill approving the system’s installation unless they paid him, and "that it be for as much money as the representative could manage," according to court records. Redflex told the FBI and cooperated with the agency in giving Brown a check, authorities said.

Brown had the Redflex employee deliver the check to his home. He later cashed the check, made out to Shawn Brown instead of Mayor Shawn Brown. Conversations between Brown and the Redflex employee were tape recorded, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Reap.

Brown has said the money was a campaign contribution, even though by law he was not allowed to accept a donation from an individual or group for more than $325.

As part of the agreement, Brown is to forfeit the money he accepted from Reflex and other items investigators seized from his home. He is to remain free on bail.

Brown appeared in court with his wife, Rhonda. He would not comment before or after the hearing. "There’s nothing to say," he said.