Houma Man Pleads Guilty To Failure To Account for And Pay Taxes

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RENE CLEMENT (“CLEMENT”), age 76, of Houma, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023 to failing to account for and pay federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202.

According to court documents, CLEMENT conducted a business as a limited liability company under the name Vinyl Products, LLC. Between 2014 and 2018, CLEMENT failed to account for and pay taxes associated with Vinyl Products in the amount of approximately $750,368.68. 

In pleading guilty, CLEMENT faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years. Upon release from prison, CLEMENT also faces a term of supervised release up to (3) three years, and/or a fine of $10,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. He also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The Honorable Ivan L. R. Lemelle set sentencing in this matter for June 21, 2023.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the work of the Internal Revenue Service on this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.