Two time presidential candidate John Edwards has turned himself in to authorities to face six charges stemming from attempts to hide his mistress and their child during the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

The Associated Press reports Edwards  arrived Friday at the Federal Courthouse in Winston Salem North Carolina to answer a variety of charges. Officials confirmed he was in custody, as an arrest warrant had been issued. According to the Associated Press Report:

The indictment contained six felony counts, including conspiracy, four counts of receiving illegal campaign contributions and one count of false statements for keeping the spending off the campaign's public finance reports.

The indictment said the payments made with money from two wealthy supporters were a scheme to protect Edwards' presidential ambitions and his public image as a devoted family man.

"Edwards knew that public revelation of the affair and the pregnancy would destroy his candidacy," the indictment said.

Edward's attorney, Gregory Craig, said there was no way of knowing the money should have been treated as a campaign contribution.  Edward's image was previously tarnished badly when revelations of his affair were released during the time that his late wife Elizabeth was battling cancer that would take her life. Edwards had an affair with a filmmaker, Rielle Hunter, that led to him fathering a child who was born in 2008. Edwards indictment today stems from his efforts to conceal the affair and the baby because it would destroy his Presidential campaign.  Opinions are mixed as to how much jail time Edwards will actually serve if the charges stand as filed.  Some observers believe prosecutors will attempt to make an example of him.  According to a variety of reports, Edwards is not in good health and is not handling the situation very well.

More From 870 AM KFLD