October 22, 2001

CENTRAL COAST RESTAURATEUR SENTENCED
TO FEDERAL PRISON IN TAX EVASION CASE

 The owner of the Tio Alberto’s Mexican restaurant chain was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison for his conviction on federal tax evasion charges.
 Jesse Albert Hernandez, 47, a resident of San Luis Obispo County, was sentenced this afternoon by United States District Judge Margaret M. Morrow in Los Angeles.
 Hernandez pleaded guilty in July to one count of tax evasion, admitting that he attempted to avoid the payment of taxes on $1.1 million in income he received during the 1990s. By pleading guilty, Hernandez admitted that the attempted to evade the payment of $432,653 in personal income taxes due for the years 1990 and 1991. The tax evasion charge also accused Hernandez of attempting to evade the payment of $127,881 in payroll taxes that were due to the government in 1993 and 1994.
 As part of a plea agreement with the government, prosecutors agreed to dismiss 17 counts of structuring financial transactions to avoid the reporting of cash transactions of more than $10,000.
 This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation.

 Release No. 01-152

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