A former engineering executive and county GOP chair who did business with Mercer County municipalities has plead guilty to pay-to-play violations.

Phil Angarone, 40, of Hamilton, plead guilty Friday to funneling cash to campaigns through employees of his employer, Birdsall Services Group, according to a press release from the state attorney general’s office. The donations by emplyoees would then be reimbursed by the company.

“Illegal corporate contributions like those in this case undermine the fair and open public contracting process needed to ensure that government agencies strictly serve the public interest, not the interests of politically connected firms,” said Attorney General Chiesa in the release.

As part of his agreement, Angarone will serve up to 364 days in county jail as a condition of probation, as well as forfeit $26,775 in contributions he was reimbursed for by his employer, and he will be barred from public contracts for five years. His sentencing has been scheduled for April 26, 2013, according to the release.

The release said that beginning in 2008, Angarone helped pass bundles of checks from his employer to various political campaigns. Each check would be less than the $300 required to report to the state Election Law Enforcement Commission.

The Trentonian previously reported that he served as the marketing director for Birdsall Services Group.

His LinkedIn page said he works for ERA Central Realty Group. That company’s website said he worked as a Realtor Associate in the company’s Bordentown office.

In addition, he plead guilty to falsely reporting that the company had complied with the state’s pay-to-play law in annual disclosure forms required of companies that receive more than $50,000 in public contracts.

Hamilton Township Council on Feb. 15, 2011, passed a resolution awarding Birdsall a $16,650 professional engineering services contract . On Sept. 20, 2011, Hamilton Council passed three separate resolutions awarding Birdsall three professional engineering services contracts totaling $104,800.

The website for the Hamilton partnership, a public-private partnership in the township, lists Angarone as a member. The website also lists several prominent politicians in the township such as  Rep. Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), Director of Economic Development Michael Angarone, former Hamilton Mayor Jack Rafferty as well as convicted former mayor John Bencivengo and convicted former Director of Community Planning and Compliance Rob Warney.