Leesville Accountant Pleads Guilty to Failure to Report Taxes - More than $190,000 Taken in Bonuses

LAFAYETTE, La: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Larry Wayne Bruce, 60, of Leesville, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to two counts of failure to pay taxes.

Bruce pleaded guilty to one count of the pending indictment for admitting to his failure to pay the proper amount of payroll taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service while working as a financial officer at Express Marketing Incorporated in Leesville from 2003 to 2007. Bruce admitted it was his responsibility to pay the payroll taxes withheld from EMI employees, and also admitted to taking more than $190,000 in excess of his salary from EMI.

Bruce also pleaded guilty to another count of the pending indictment, where he admitted to not paying his personal taxes from 2005 until he left the company in 2007.

Bruce could face up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both with three years of supervised release on the first count, and he could face up to one year in prison, $25,000 in fines or both with one year supervised release for the other charge. Sentencing has not been scheduled.

The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers Namie prosecuted the case.