SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dr. Robert Gorrell, Jr., age 66, of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion in Scranton, to evading payment of his income taxes, pursuant to a plea agreement with the United States.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Dr. Gorrell formerly worked for Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. During the plea hearing, he admitted to engaging in a years-long pattern of activities to avoid paying over $148,000 in tax. Among other things, he caused his tax preparer to file Form 1040 tax returns and Form 433-A collection statements that falsely claimed Dr. Gorrell paid for his own medical malpractice insurance. He also admitted that he forged documents from Wayne Memorial Hospital and from an insurance company to support those false claims. Dr. Gorrell further admitted to withholding from the IRS information about bank accounts under his control, and about his ownership of a Porsche Cayenne, to impede collection efforts.
The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
