Press Releases
HAMMOND MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT TO INCOME TAX VIOLATION OF SUBMISSION OF FALSE CLAIMS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES
June 18, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ALVIN J. GAUTREAUX, age 57, a resident of Hammond, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court to a federal felony involving Submission of False Claims to the United States, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.
GAUTREAUX pled guilty before U. S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt to one count of violation of the Federal Tax Laws of submitting false claims to the United States in his income tax returns. The count carries a maximum statutory penalty of five (5) years of confinement. The court set a sentencing date for September 24, 2008.
According to court documents in 2004 GAUTREAUX filed his 2003 tax returns and based on his reporting claimed that he had was entitled to a refund in the amount of $73,565 and thus did not owe the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Treasury any taxes. In support of his claim that he was entitled to the refund GAUTREAUX submitted to the IRS false and fictitious W-2 forms to support his allegation that he was entitled to a refund. However GAUTREAUX was not entitled to a refund and by submitting false documents and information in order to receive a refund he thus filed a false claim against the United States by filing a fraudulent, and fictitiuos tax return in order to receive a refund he was not entitled to.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan M. Masini.
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