ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A former government auditor from Denver who ripped the head off a live, tame duck kept in the ornamental pool in a hotel lobby has pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty.

Scott D. Clark, 26, appeared in a Minnesota court Tuesday and said he was "extremely sorry" and had never hurt an animal before.

Ramsey County District Judge Margaret Marrinan, who said Clark apparently had "a substantial amount to drink" before the incident, ordered chemical and psychological evaluations before she sentences Clark in February.

Clark's attorney and the prosecution agreed on a sentence of no more than 45 days in jail, two years probation, community service, a $500 fine, restitution and no pet ownership for two years. The judge ultimately will decide.

A felony conviction would bar Clark from government work.

Clark was an auditor with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and was staying at the Embassy Suites in downtown St. Paul on Sept. 22 while in town on business.

A hotel security guard saw Clark walk into the hotel's atrium, where tame ducks were in a duck pond. The Guard said Clark grabbed a duck and killed it by tearing its head off.

As bystanders watched, Clark said, "I'm hungry. I'm going to eat it," according to police.

When officers arrived, Clark asked them whether he was in trouble. They told him he was.

"Why?" he asked, according to a criminal complaint. "Because I killed it out of season? Big deal, it's just a f****** duck." Click here to read the criminal complaint.

The Denver Post reported earlier that Clark was cited in 2006 for illegally killing a turkey in Missouri. He paid a $168 fine in that case, according to the report.