CINCINNATI - Osama A. Nassar, 42, of West Chester, pleaded guilty in U. S. District Court here to a one count information charging him with income tax evasion for the year 2001.

Gregory G. Lockhart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Cromwell A. Handy, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the plea entered today before United States District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel.

Nassar, owner of U. S. Market, 100 Pershing Ave., Hamilton, Ohio, admitted that he skimmed substantial amounts of cash from the business' income from 1999 through 2001 (approximately $172,889) and deposited the funds into personal bank and investment accounts in his name, his wife's name and in the name of an alias, Ali Hamid Osama. Nassar admitted in court that he did not provide these amounts to his return preparer and intended that they be omitted from his tax returns resulting in an understatement of tax for those years totaling $27,649. U. S. Market in Hamilton was opened in April, 2001.

The tax evasion count to which Nassar pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Spiegel will set a sentencing date.

Lockhart commended the investigation by special agents of IRS- Criminal Investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Wende Cross who prosecuted the case.