Perry Lawrence has admitted he helped alleged drug dealer Michael Kelley come up with an alibi to try to help him get the return of $69,500 in drug money seized by police.
Lawrence, who is a technical and operational manager and engineer who is a contract employee for power plants and refineries, recently pleaded guilty in Knoxville before Judge Leon Jordan.
Lawrence, 53 and with no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice.
He is to be sentenced by Judge Jordan in Chattanooga on May 1.
Former City Councilman John "Duke" Franklin also pleaded guilty to trying to help Michael Kelley get the confiscated money back.
Franklin is to be sentenced on the same day.
Kelley is awaiting trial.
The money was seized from Kelley on March 5, 2008. Police said he was making a drug run to Atlanta.
Prosecutors said Kelley called Lawrence that same day.
Here is a portion of the taped conversation:
MK: I had a little incident today.
LP: Okay.
MK: I got stopped, right. I got stopped, right.
LP: Okay.
MK: And they caught me with $71,000 in the car. And they telling me that I got to show proof of the money.
LP: Okay, what do you want me to do?
MK: Uh. . .What can you do to help me show proof?
LP: How soon do you have to do this?
MK: Well, he told me I had three days.
LP: Okay.
MK: Before they put the seizure on the money.
LP: Okay, and you got to show proof where you got it from, you're saying?"
Prosecutors said Kelley went on to explain a scheme devised by Ron Goodwin to gather checks from several people.
They said Lawrence said that was not a good idea, and a false contract would be better.
Prosecutors said Lawrence was involved in a plan to draft a false contract and to backdate it to Feb. 12, 2008. They agreed it would be a good idea to find someone to notarize it. Prosecutors said Franklin arranged for a notary to backdate the document.
Prosecutors said Lawrence was in New Jersey at the time, but he typed the false contract and faxed and FedExed it to Kelley in Chattanooga.
It purported to show a completed loan of $69,500 from Lawrence to Kelley.
Lawrence, who has lived in Chattanooga for 27 years, admitted to authorities his role in preparing the false contract when he was arrested last May 14.