Thursday's Internet Edition, September 09, 2010.

Larry Grimm, 69, tried to enter a similar plea in December, but that was rejected by Roane Circuit Judge Tom Evans because it would not have allowed the judge to send Grimm to jail.

The plea entered Monday has no restriction on the sentence and Grimm could be sent to prison for 1-to-10 years. He could also be sentenced to home confinement or placed on probation.

Grimm’s attorney, Tom Whittier, said the plea was an “Alford-type,” in which Grimm was not admitting guilt. He said Grimm did not take the money for himself, but for a business in which he had an interest.

Grimm allegedly transferred more than $100,000 from a trust set up to benefit the deceased woman’s daughters to Spencer Foodland, where he served as president.

He wrote promissory notes pledging to repay the estate, but Grimm admitted Monday that was a mistake because he did not have permission to borrow the money.

The business eventually closed, although it later reopened as Roane County Foodland under new ownership that does not include Grimm.

Grimm said there was no way the former business could repay the money, so he was trying to do it himself.

Grimm was indicted in January 2008 for the alleged offenses that took place in 2004.

Wood County prosecutor Jason Wharton said Grimm owed the estate about $109,000. Wharton was appointed to handle the case because Roane prosecutor Josh Downey was involved with Grimm’s defense before he was elected prosecutor.

Under the plea agreement, five related charges would be dismissed.

Evans agreed to accept the plea, which he said would be treated as any other guilty plea.

He ordered Grimm to undergo a pre-sentence investigation by a probation officer before he is sentenced May 28.