(CN) - Retired general and former CIA Director David Petraeus was sentenced to two years probation and fined $100,000 in the Charlotte, N.C. Federal Court on Thursday for providing classified information to his mistress.
The ruling came after a lengthy hearing during which Petraeus expressed remorse for his actions.
"I want to take this opportunity to apologize ... for the pain my actions have caused," he said.
FBI officials had reportedly hoped for a stiffer punishment, including jail time for Petraeus, who gave highly classified notebooks to Paula Broadwell, the biographer with whom he was then having an affair.
However, outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder disagreed, and recommended that the one-time leader of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan not be put in jail.
Petraeus ultimately entered into a deal with the Justice Department in which he will plead guilty to one count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.
As part of the deal prosecutors asked U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler to sentence the one-time four-star general to no more than two years probation and also to require him to pay a $40,000 fine.
Keesler agreed to the probation recommendation, but added $60,000 to the suggested fine.
The judge also told Petraeus that he can continue to travel internationally -- he's now a popular speaker at security events -- but must secure the approval of his probation officerr before he does so.
Speaking outside the federal courthouse, Petraeus thanked his supporters.
"I now look forward to moving on with the next phase of my life and continuing to serve our great nation as a private citizen," he said.
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