How much time should you get if...

you hacked into a co-worker's email account, leaked information to the local newspaper and cause the person to get fired. Well...

Former Philadelphia CBS3 anchor Larry Mendte, who was an anchor in Chicago and Los Angeles and the first host of Access Hollywood, will serve six months of house arrest for his guilty plea to reading the e-mails of former co-anchor Alycia Lane and feeding the details to newspaper gossip columnist Dan Gross of the Philadelphia Daily News. Federal guidelines called for as much as six months in prison for the felony.

U.S. District Judge Mary A. McLaughlin also sentenced Mendte, 51, to three years probation, a $5,000 fine and to perform 250 hours of community service. Before he was sentenced, Mendte told the court: "When I look back on the story of my life, I can't believe it brought me to this moment. I am ashamed." Mendte said he was grateful that Alycia Lane was present so that he could apologize to her. He turned to look at Lane, whose lower lip was quivering as if she was about to cry, and said: "I am also sorry that you did not believe my previous public apology was sincere."

Mendte, married to another news anchor in town (Fox 29 Dawn Stensland) had, as he described, a "flirtatious, unprofessional and improper" relationship with Alycia Lane. Now don't think Ms. Lane is totally innocent here. She has a history also. The relationship began when Stensland was pregnant. Go back into our archives to read up on these wacky news reporters in Philly>>

New reports suggest that Mendte hacked into the email of TV weather man Doug Kammerer as well. Stay tuned.