CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A former vice president and West Virginia district manager for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters admitted in federal court Monday that he illegally tried to buy his brother extra years of pension benefits, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Harold Cain "Dick" Ullum, 58, of Grantsville, admitted that he instructed an Ohio contractor to mail money and reports indicating that his brother, Tom Ullum, had performed work he hadn't.

Dick Ullum later reimbursed the contractor for the $3,750 "employer's contribution" to the Chemical Valley Pension Fund, plus the $1,072.28 fine for submitting the "employer's contribution" late, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney.

Ullum's scheme was intended to secure three extra years of benefits for his brother when he retired, which could have cost the pension fund tens of thousands of dollars, the statement reads.

Only employers are allowed to contribute to the pension plan for the state carpentry trades, based on actual hours worked, according to the statement. Individuals are not allowed to "self-contribute."

Ullum admitted he knew his brother had not worked the submitted hours and that the reports to the pension plan were false, according to the statement.

Ullum faces up to five years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers on Oct. 19.

In a separate case, a Huntington man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Joshua Dwayne Plante, 19, was arrested in October 2008 during police surveillance on the 1900 block of 9th Avenue in Huntington. When officers approached Plante, he dropped a small amount of marijuana on the ground, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

When they searched Plante, officers found him holding a "dealer amount" of crack cocaine, according to the statement.

Plante faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced by Chambers on Oct. 19.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A former vice president and West Virginia district manager for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters admitted in federal court Monday that he illegally tried to buy his brother extra years of pension benefits, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Harold Cain "Dick" Ullum, 58, of Grantsville, admitted that he instructed an Ohio contractor to mail money and reports indicating that his brother, Tom Ullum, had performed work he hadn't.

Dick Ullum later reimbursed the contractor for the $3,750 "employer's contribution" to the Chemical Valley Pension Fund, plus the $1,072.28 fine for submitting the "employer's contribution" late, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney.

Ullum's scheme was intended to secure three extra years of benefits for his brother when he retired, which could have cost the pension fund tens of thousands of dollars, the statement reads.

Only employers are allowed to contribute to the pension plan for the state carpentry trades, based on actual hours worked, according to the statement. Individuals are not allowed to "self-contribute."

Ullum admitted he knew his brother had not worked the submitted hours and that the reports to the pension plan were false, according to the statement.

Ullum faces up to five years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers on Oct. 19.

In a separate case, a Huntington man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Joshua Dwayne Plante, 19, was arrested in October 2008 during police surveillance on the 1900 block of 9th Avenue in Huntington. When officers approached Plante, he dropped a small amount of marijuana on the ground, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

When they searched Plante, officers found him holding a "dealer amount" of crack cocaine, according to the statement.

Plante faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced by Chambers on Oct. 19.