Sen. Michael D. Crapo pleaded guilty Friday to a drunken driving charge and has been banned from the road for the year.

The Idaho Republican, who has built a reputation as a staunch fiscal and social conservative, was arrested last month when he failed multiple sobriety tests after running a red light in Alexandria, Va.

Crapo said that he has recently consumed alcohol, despite the fact that the Mormon church opposes the practice.

“In recent months, and for less than a year, I have on occasion had alcoholic drinks in my apartment in Washington, D.C.,” Crapo said in a statement. “It was a poor choice to use alcohol to relieve stress — and one at odds with my personally-held religious beliefs.”

Crapo further explained that the incident was an unusual indiscretion.

“However, on the night of Saturday, December 22nd, I made another even worse decision to go for a drive to get out of my apartment and try to wind down. I left my apartment, driving out past the monuments.” Crapo said. “I was alone during this drive and never left my vehicle. After driving around for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, I realized what a mistake it had been for me to drive and decided to return to my apartment.”

That all took place before he ran the red light in Alexandria that precipitated the arrest.

His license will be suspended for one year. He will also have to complete an alcohol safety program and pay a $250 fine, according to reports from multiple news outlets. A 180-day jail sentence was suspended on the condition of good behavior.

Police have said Crapo registered a blood alcohol level of 0.11 percent when he was pulled over early in the morning the Sunday before Christmas. A secondary test registered at 0.14, nearly twice the legal limit, according to a USA Today report. The senior senator from Idaho issued a statement apologizing for his actions shortly after the incident.

Niels Lesniewski contributed to this report.