2003-07-14 -- Baucum, Alfred -- Sentencing -- News Release

Rahway Man Sentenced to Prison and House Arrest for Tax Fraud

NEWARK - A Rahway man was sentenced today to four months in prison and four months of house arrest for his tax fraud conviction based on his failure to report significant income on his 1999 federal tax return, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

Alfred Baucum, 56, also was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise to one year of supervised release to commence after the completion of his prison term.

On April 2, 2003, Baucum, a long-time high-level employee at the Plainfield Health Center, pleaded guilty to tax fraud charges in connection with making and signing a false tax return for 1999 tax year. Baucum admitted intentionally failing to report on that return approximately $82,000 in income that he had received from his consulting company, High Performance Alternatives (HPA). According to the charges, in the mid-1990s the Plainfield Health Center had hired HPA to work with the construction management firm which oversaw the construction of a new healthcare facility in Plainfield.

Christie credited Special Agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation section, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Haynes in Newark, for developing the case against Baucum, with assistance from Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Louis F. Allen in Newark.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nobile and Perry A. Carbone, of the U.S. Attorney's Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

Defense Attorneys:

David A. Ruhnke, Esq. Montclair