Eugene, Ore. - Michael Levin, 52, and William Lawrence, 48, of Valencia, California, entered guilty pleas today in Eugene, Oregon before United States District Court Judge Ann Aiken. The United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, Karin J. Immergut, announced the defendants are the owners of Levin & Lawrence, Inc., a wholesale food distributor located in Santa Clarita, California. Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of bribery and one count of filing a false income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service. The defendants admitted they paid a total of $532,000 in kickbacks to an Oregon Department of Corrections employee from August 2004 through December 2006, in return for ensuring future food sales. Sentencing is scheduled for June 27, 2007. Each defendant faces up to thirteen years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Oregon Department of Corrections. The investigation is ongoing. The United States Attorneys Office is unable to make further comments at this time.
