United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

OLD LYME MAN SENTENCED FOR WILLFULLY FAILING TO PAY FEDERAL TAXES

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FRANCIS R. SABLONE, JR., age 55, of Old Lyme, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford. On May 3, 2004, SABLONE pleaded guilty to willfully failing to pay taxes owed for the 1992 and 1993 calendar years.

Judge Covello sentenced SABLONE to four years of probation, the first six months of which must be served in home confinement. Judge Covello furthered ordered SABLONE to pay a fine in the amount of $15,000, and to perform 200 hours of community service. In addition, SABLONE today paid full restitution in the amount of $58,460.

According to information presented by the Government at the guilty plea and sentencing proceedings, SABLONE owed the Internal Revenue Service more than $63,000 in taxes, penalties and interest for the years 1992 and 1993. After failing to pay the IRS for a number of years, and after being contacted directly by a revenue officer about his failure to pay his tax liability, SABLONE, who is an attorney, sought to compromise his tax debt by convincing the IRS that he was incapable of paying the full amount owed. He initiated an "offer in compromise" and eventually convinced the IRS to accept approximately $18,300 and to write off the remainder of his liability. During the "offer in compromise" process, however, SABLONE did not inform the IRS that he was in the real estate development business and controlled the operation and assets of a number of real estate companies. Further, SABLONE concealed assets – including a 40-foot yacht that he transferred to one of the real estate companies but continued to use, at least $3,000 in cash and credit lines and accounts to which he had access – and misled the IRS about the financial circumstances of his spouse at that time.

This case was investigated by special agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation division, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Anastasia Enos.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov