News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
October 19, 2007
Contractor & wife sentenced for tax evasion
A federal judge today sentenced Robert Portman, a construction contractor based in North Smithfield, and his wife, Candy Portman, to home confinement and probation for failing to report $266,861 in income over three years.
United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the sentence, which Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi imposed in U.S. District Court, Providence. Judge Lisi sentenced both defendants to six months home confinement as part of three years probation, and ordered them to pay all outstanding taxes, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service.
In July, Robert and Candy Portman pleaded guilty to tax evasion. At the plea hearings, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Reich said that the government could prove that, for the tax years 2000 through 2002, Robert Portman failed to report all of the business receipts of his firm, Reliable Builders. He asked many customers to pay with checks made out to him personally rather than to the business, and deposited those checks into a personal account rather than the business account. Candy Portman maintained the books for the company. The couple failed to report $42,239 worth of income in 2000, $82,237 in 2001, and $142,385 in 2002. The net tax loss to the government is $74,721.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Contact: 401-709-5032 Thomas.connell@usdoj.gov