RICHMOND, Va. - Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to dogfighting charges in a deal with federal prosecutors that most likely will land him in prison while he is in the prime of his NFL career.

The NFL, which has barred Vick from Falcons training camp, said it would not announce its punishment for Vick until he accepted the plea in a hearing Monday.

As part of the deal, Vick agreed to plead guilty to felony charges of conspiring to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal-fighting venture.

He faces at least one year in prison. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, who announced the plea agreement in a meeting with reporters in his courtroom, will sentence Vick probably at the end of November.

In another troubling development for Vick, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Surry County, where Vick allegedly operated his dogfighting business, said last week the evidence revealed in federal court so far has solidified his plans to prosecute Vick on animal cruelty and dogfighting charges.

State charges could bring Vick a minimum of 40 years in prison. Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald Poindexter said he likely would submit his case to a grand jury scheduled to convene Sept. 25.

Vick, 27, finds himself in a rarefied group of athletes, along with "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and Mike Tyson, whose careers were cut short or interrupted at their peak because of legal problems.

Three of Vick's co-defendants already have pleaded guilty in the case, acknowledging Vick "almost exclusively funded" the enterprise, Bad Newz Kennels, and the gambling associated with it.

One of the co-defendants, Quanis L. Phillips, said he, Vick and another co-defendant, Purnell A. Peace, killed about eight dogs in April that did not perform well by hanging or drowning them at a property owned by Vick in Surry, Va.

In a statement, the NFL accused Vick of lying to commissioner Roger Goodell and to the Falcons early in the investigation.

"We are aware of Michael Vick's decision to enter a guilty plea to the federal charges against him and accept responsibility for his conduct," the NFL's statement said. "We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons. We will conclude our own review under the league's personal conduct policy as soon as possible."

Goodell is expected to review the details of the plea deal when they are released next week, paying special attention to Vick's involvement in gambling, which is prohibited by the league's personal conduct policy.

Violating those rules could subject Vick to a lifetime suspension.

The NFL also has instructed the Falcons not to take action against Vick until Goodell makes his decision.

Vick is most likely to be suspended by the NFL indefinitely, with the league waiting to determine the final length of his suspension.

That would keep Vick out of football for at least the 2007 season while he awaits sentencing, but also gives the NFL the option of having Vick serve part of his suspension after his prison term ends.

If the NFL suspends Vick, the Falcons would be free to try to collect a portion of Vick's $37 million signing bonus - which could top $20 million - because he would be in breach of his contract.

The Falcons then could release Vick, who they signed to a 10-year, $130 million contract in 2004.

"We are certainly troubled with the news (Monday) concerning Mi-chael Vick's guilty plea to federal charges," the Falcons said in a statement.

A year-long prison term probably would rule Vick out for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. If the NFL decides Vick should continue to serve a suspension after his incarceration ends, he probably would not be free to return to action until at least 2010, when he would be 30 and still have plenty of playing time left.

Prosecutors told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity they will seek a 12- to 18-month sentence for Vick.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank has made it clear he feels betrayed by Vick, a strong indication even if Vick is able to resurrect his career, it would not be with Atlanta.

It was only six months ago that Vick, one of league's most popular quarterbacks, was in the midst of adjusting to a new coach, former Louisville coach Bobby Petrino, who was supposed to hone Vick's athleticism into more consistent on- the-field play.

But in April, the government raided his property in Surry and found 52 pit bulls, blood-soaked carpeting, and five specially modified treadmills for dogs.

On July 17, Vick was indicted with Peace, Phillips and Tony Taylor, another former associate.

Taylor pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors July 30. Peace and Phillips accepted their plea deals Friday.

The charges in Vick's indictment carry a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The plea deal probably calls for prosecutors to recommend a lighter sentence as long as Vick cooperates with the government's investigation.

What's next

• Questions and answers about the Michael Vick case:

What will Vick plead guilty to?

The details of the plea agreement are not yet public. If he gets the same deal two of his co-defendants received, he will plead guilty to a conspiracy count of crossing state lines to engage in illegal activity and sponsoring a dog in a dogfighting venture.

What will be Vick's sentence?

Judge Henry E. Hudson will have the final say on that. The maximum sentence for the offense is five years in prison. But sources say prosecutors will ask for 12 to 18 months in prison. But the guidelines are not binding and Hudson, known for handing down a stiff sentence when the facts warrant it, does not have to follow the prosecution's recommendation.

If Vick is sentenced to prison, can he be released early?

Federal inmates can get credit for good behavior so long as they receive a prison sentence of longer than one year and one day.

When will Vick be sentenced?

Typically, defendants are sentenced at least 70 days after they enter guilty pleas. They are then assigned a federal prison and given a date to report.

Will this be the end of Vick's criminal case?

Perhaps not. Virginia Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter has said he will pursue state charges against Vick and others for allegedly staging dogfights and executing dogs at a property owned by Vick in Surry County, Va. If convicted, Vick would face a minimum of 40 years in prison.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.

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