A former Schofield Barracks master sergeant admitted in federal court yesterday that he accepted thousands of dollars in kickbacks from a civilian contractor when he handled Army supply and purchasing functions in Iraq.

Ronald Joseph Radcliffe, 43, pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces maximum prison terms of 15 years for bribery and 20 years for conspiracy when he is sentenced next February. He also faces maximum fines of $250,000 and $500,000, respectively.

Radcliffe was the Army's noncommissioned officer of supply in Kirkuk in 2004 while assigned to Schofield's 2nd Brigade. He said he steered contracts to Turkish national Metin Subasi by telling the contracting officer that Subasi was the preferred vendor. In exchange, he received more than $37,000 from Subasi.

Subasi is also facing bribery and fraud charges.

Radcliffe said he sent the money to his girlfriend in Hawaii and instructed her to deposit the money in their joint bank account. He later received a $10,000 wire transfer from the account.

The government said the scheme is detailed in three letters Radcliffe sent his girlfriend.

The now-former girlfriend, identified in court documents by the initials V.M., is not charged with any crime.