Bagman pleads guilty in Tennessee Waltz case

The plea from Barry Myers, an accused “bag man,” is the first conviction in the government’s Tennessee Waltz investigation, a two-year sting that has led to corruption charges against five current or former state lawmakers.

The agents pretended to work for a company called E-Cycle Management, a bogus company that supposedly wanted to buy and resell government computers.

Myers, 38, pleaded guilty to two charges of extortion conspiracy. The charges are included in multiple count indictments against Dixon and Bowers, both of whom are Memphis Democrats.

Defense lawyer Leslie Ballin described Myers outside the courtroom as a young politician led astray by people he trusted.

“He got involved in politics, which is something he’s wanted to do all of his life,” Ballin said. “He was mislead into, ‘This is how politics works, son.'”

Calls to lawyers for Dixon were not immediately returned.

Bowers’ lawyer said the plea does not alter his client’s situation.

“Barry Myers’ plea today does not change Kathryn Bowers position or her defense,” lawyer William B. Massey said. “Eventually a jury will hear this case and decide it.”

Also charged in the Tennessee Waltz investigation are Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga; Rep. Chris Newton, R-Cleveland; and former Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis.

Like Myers, lobbyist Charles Love of Chattanooga, is accused of passing along payoffs. Love is charged along with Crutchfield and Newton.

Trials are expected to begin in November.

Ballin, who said Myers would have no comment outside the courtroom, declined to say if he client is working with prosecutors or would testify against the others under indictment.

“The evidence against Mr. Myers and the others is strong, and pleading guilty was the right thing to do and we also hope in the end will be the prudent thing to do,” Ballin said. “At some point we will be asking Judge (Jon) McCalla to be as lenient with him as possible.”

Myers has no agreement with prosecutors on a sentencing recommendation, Ballin said. Sentencing was set for Feb. 17.

The charges to which Myers pleaded carry a maximum punishment each of 20 years in prison and fines of $250,000, though a much lighter sentence is likely.

The indictments list payoffs from E-Cycle totaling $11,500 to Bowers and Myers, and $9,500 to Dixon and Myers.

In giving his plea before McCalla, Myers made no objections to the allegations in the indictments. With the plea, he avoids four of the criminal charges in the Dixon indictment and five in the Bowers indictment.

Myers told McCalla he took money “for Roscoe’s support for E-Cycle” and “basically the same thing” for Bowers’ backing.

Dixon resigned from the Legislature in January to become a top aide to the Shelby County mayor, a job he lost after his indictment. Bowers was a member of the House during the time she is accused of taking payoffs.

Tennessee Waltz is the biggest public corruption case in Tennessee since the Rocky Top gambling scandal in 1990 that led to several indictments and suicides by two defendants, including the secretary of state.