A retired Henry County deputy pleaded guilty Friday to lying to investigators, and another defendant in the corruption case argued that his charges should be dropped.

Cornelia Bryant Cox, 60, of Martinsville admitted to a federal judge that she lied about stealing $500 from the evidence room at the Henry County Sheriff's Office.

The theft occurred before Cox retired from the department in January 2000, prosecutors said, but when investigators asked Cox last year if she had stolen the cash, she denied it.

Cox and 19 other people, including 13 current and former deputies, were originally indicted in a 48-count indictment in October.

The charges include selling narcotics, racketeering, obstruction of justice and perjury. Former Sheriff Frank Cassell has been accused of impeding the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant said Cox, a former vice agent, told investigators she had taken the cash home to wash it because it had blood on it. She said she brought the money back to work and put it in the "narc fund," a fund maintained for controlled drug buys, Bondurant said.

A few days later, Cox admitted to authorities that she had spent the money, and witnesses, Bondurant said.

Cox pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to federal authorities. Two counts of stealing firearms were dropped. According to Bondurant, Cox took a .25-caliber handgun and a .38-caliber handgun from evidence while she was a deputy. Cox confessed and turned over the guns to federal officials, prosecutors said.

She could be sent to prison for up to five years when she is sentenced.

Also on Friday, former Henry County sheriff's Sgt. Robert Keith Adams argued that his charges should be dropped because the indictment is faulty.

Adams is charged with being an accessory to a crime, tampering with a witness, obstructing justice and making false statements to investigators.

Defense attorney Terry Grimes said the document does not specify what Adams is accused of doing wrong, so his client cannot prepare an adequate defense.

U.S. District Judge James Turk said he will rule on the motion within the next few days.

Five defendants, including Cox, have pleaded guilty in the case and a sixth, Ginger Renee Lewis, is scheduled to plead next week.