Ex-Gwinnett County Commissioner Shirley Lasseter could go to federal prison any day now after pleading guilty to accepting bribes.

In an exclusive interview recently with the AJC’s David Wickert, she says she takes full responsibility for her actions.

“I know I was wrong in taking the money, no doubt… there are no excuses,” says Lasseter.

But she says, even as mayor of Duluth for 14 years, she had never taken a bribe before becoming a commissioner.

“I’ve just never taken anything other than a lunch… not that anybody ever offered,” she says.

Lasseter claims developer Mark Gary was the first to approach her right after she was elected to the commission and told her that was the only way business was done in Gwinnett.

“They told me that they had paid several commissioners, and sometimes they voted for it and sometimes they didn’t… and they just lost the money,” she says.

Gary, who has pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges as well, still awaits sentencing.

But it was an undercover sting by the FBI involving a phony land deal that led to Lasseter, her son John Fanning, and business associate Carl “Skip” Cain being charged with bribery.

Lasseter admits it was desperation over finances at the time that drove her to take the money, which she says she used to pay rent.

Now she checks the mail every day awaiting word as to which prison she will spend her 33-month sentence.

“Even though I’m ready to go and to get this behind me so life can go on, I’m so very worried about my grandchildren.  I’d just like to see them in a safe environment before I leave,” says Lasseter.

Those three young grandchildren belong to Fanning and his estranged wife who have been involved in a bitter divorce and custody battle. Lasseter’s daughter has petitioned for temporary custody while her brother is in prison.