JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A couple from Johnstown, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of filing false income tax returns, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
David J. Murphy and his wife, Joyce Murphy, each pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that David and Joyce Murphy each filed individual income tax returns for the calendar years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, whereby he and she failed to report $431,073 in taxable income, resulting in an underpayment of $140,834 in income tax owed to the United States.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13, 2015, at 10 a.m. for David and 11 a.m. for Joyce. The law provides for a total sentence of 12 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr., is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of David and Joyce Murphy.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
