SAN DIEGO -- A former official at San Diego-based Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command admitted Tuesday he used his influence to get a subcontracting firm owned by friends hired by prime contractors working for SPAWAR.

Gary Alexander, 50, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. The fraud charge carries a maximum 20 years in federal prison, and the tax charge a maximum of three years behind bars.

Alexander admitted running a scheme from 1999 to 2008 to deprive the public of honest services and to obtain cash and property by false pretenses, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Ciaffa.

In a hearing before Magistrate Barbara Lynn Major, Alexander -- the former head of SPAWAR's Air Surveillance and Reconnaissance Branch -- admitted that he and his wife orchestrated a scheme to get a National City-based subcontractor hired by SPAWAR contractors, and in return, he accepted cash and gifts.

Alexander's wife, Kelly, pleaded guilty Oct. 19 and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors against other defendants.

She and her husband will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns on Feb. 8.

Two others -- Louis Williams and his wife, Elizabeth Ramos -- pleaded guilty in August to paying between $200,000 and $400,000 in cash to the Alexanders so their firm, Technical Logistics Corp., would get contracted work from SPAWAR. Sentencing for that couple is also set for Feb. 8.

Jackie Godwin, a former manager at defense contractor Kratos Defense Security Solutions Inc., still faces trial for allegedly hiring subcontractors at Gary Alexander's direction.

Gary Alexander's alleged mistress, Sinthia Nares, who prosecutors say received government-funded jobs at both TLC and Kratos, is also set for trial but is expected to plead guilty on Thursday, according to court records.