Joe Giudice will now be serving an 18-month state sentence aside from his previously arranged federal prison sentence that will last for more than three years, ABC News has learned.
After a Paterson, N.J. judge asked him to think things through, the reality TV star finally accepted a plea deal Wednesday in his fraud and forgery case.
Teresa Giudice's 42-year-old husband initially declined to accept the plea deal because it required him to admit that he is guilty of using his brother's marriage and birth certificates to obtain a driver's license back in 2010 after he lost his in a drunken-driving conviction.
"He rejects it for a simple reason - and that reason is he maintains his innocence, he said he did not do what is charged in the indictment and wants to exercise his right to a trial," said defense lawyer Miles Feinstein.
"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star's 18-month state sentence is said to run concurrently with his federal prison sentence of 41 months or over three years.
Joe Giudice's prison time is expected to start once his wife, Teresa, serves her 15-month federal sentence that is set to begin on Jan. 5, 2015, according to Us Weekly.
Aside from the 41-month federal prison sentence, Joe was also ordered to pay part of $414,000 in restitution for his federal crimes i.e. failing to pay taxes, submitting fake loan applications and hiding assets.
The reason why Joe and Teresa will be serving their sentences separately is because the court has determined that this will be the best arrangement considering that they have four kids.
Feinstein said that the media should stop making reports that Joe and Teresa are heading to splitsville because there is no truth in it, reported New York Daily News.
"I know nothing about filing for divorce," he said. "In fact, I would say 100 percent that's not true."
When Joe Giudice is done serving both his state and federal sentences, he could be deported back to Italy. After all, the reality TV star, whose real name is Giuseppe, is not an American citizen despite having lived in New Jersey for a long time now.