Former California State Senator and staunch anti-violent-game activist Leland Yee has pled guilty to charges of racketeering.

Yee's admissions included accepting bribes in an official capacity, as well as engaging in a conspiracy that involved money laundering and the illegal shipment of weaponry from the Philippines to the United States; the charges were reduced to racketeering as a result of his plea.

Back in 2005, Yee authored a controversial state law that, had it not been overturned by the US Supreme Court, would have criminalised the sale of violent video games to children, with little official line as to what constituted "violent".

Ironically, at the time, he told the San Jose Mercury News, "This is the same technology the armed forces use to help soldiers kill the enemy. All we're saying is, 'don't sell it to kids.'"

A sentence will be passed on Yee and three of his associates in October, at which point Yee will face up to 20 years in prison and fine of up to a quarter-million dollars.