July 31, 2003

PRESS RELEASE

DEDHAM MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX, WAGERING CRIMES

Boston, MA... A Dedham man was convicted yesterday in federal court of tax and wagering crimes.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Joseph A. Galasso, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; and Colonel Thomas J. Foley, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, announced that GEORGE A. CHUTE, age 52, of 4 Cobb Lane, Dedham, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner to three counts of filing a false tax return and one count of interstate transmission of wagering information.

At yesterday's plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that, had the case proceeded to trial, the Government's evidence would have proven that CHUTE managed the Waltham office of Donald Willis's illegal gambling business. In the course of that business CHUTE placed a telephone call from Massachusetts to Donald Willis's brother Paul in New Jersey in order to accept or place bets or wagers or give or receive information assisting in the placing of bets and wagers. CHUTE failed to report all his income from the illegal gambling business on his federal income tax returns, falsely reporting a total income of $24,801 on his 1996 federal income tax return when in fact his income was at least $60,002. On his1997 federal income tax return, CHUTE reported a total income of $27,447 when in fact his income was at least $71,249; and in on his1998 federal income tax return, CHUTE reported a total income of $28,803 when in fact his income was at least $111,705.

Judge Gertner scheduled CHUTE's sentencing for October 29, 2003. CHUTE faces up to 3 years' imprisonment, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on each of the three tax counts, and up to 2 years' imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on the interstate transmission of wagering information count.

On July 24, 2003, Donald Willis, age 68, of Florida, formerly of 18 Cliffside Drive, Plymouth, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty before Judge Gertner to four counts of subscribing to, and filing, a false federal income tax return. His brother, Paul Willis, age 67, of 222 Cain Avenue, Braintree, also pleaded guilty the same day in a separate hearing before U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to one count of interstate transmission of wagering information. Donald Willis and Paul Willis are scheduled to be sentenced on October 28 and 30, 2003, respectively.

The case was referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office by the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office, investigated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Massachusetts State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard in Sullivan's Economic Crimes Unit.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139