Lexington Town Councilman Danny Frazier issued a statement late Tuesday admitting he made a serious error in judgment when speaking to a friend about a business venture.

But Frazier never mentions ties to the Internet sweepstakes industry.

“While I have done nothing illegal, my error in judgment was a serious one,” Frazier wrote. “As I leave to take my family on vacation before school starts, I will use this time to reflect on making sure my priorities are in order and how I can strive to be a better husband, father and public servant.”

When called for comment about the statement, Cynthia Frazier said her husband was not available and that they would let the statement speak for itself.

Last week, Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said he was looking into Frazier’s reported ties with the sweepstakes industry. Frazier is a part-time community relations coordinator who serves as a liaison between the department and local businesses. He earns nearly $15,000 a year. Efforts to reach Metts Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The S.C. Attorney General and State Law Enforcement Division say Internet sweepstakes are illegal.

Frazier’s ties to the Internet sweepstakes industry were reported earlier this month by the Free Times, a Columbia weekly newspaper. That paper had received a copy of a recorded conversation between Frazier and an unidentified person who said he was interested in starting a sweepstakes business. Frazier advised the man on sweepstakes operations and boasted that several public officials were indebted to him, the Free Times reported.

In his statement, Frazier acknowledges “media reports suggesting that I may be involved in some questionable business practices.” He said he did not know a conversation was being recorded when he met with a friend who was seeking business advice. He also said he would never ask friends who are public officials to break the law on his behalf.

“During the course of that lengthy conversation, I boasted about friendships and said things that were exaggerated or simply not true, which reflected very poor judgment on my part,” he wrote.

View email sent by Danny Frazier August 14, 2012.

Email addresses and telephone numbers have been removed from original document.

Reach Phillips at (803) 771-8307.