Former Bibb County School District Superintendent Romain Dallemand Enters Guilty Plea In Federal Court To Felony Tax Charges

The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, G. F. Peterman, III, announced that, on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, former Bibb County School District Superintendent Romain Dallemand, age 49, of Naples, Florida, entered his guilty plea to a one-count information charging him with filing a false tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1) in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division. The statutory maximum sentence authorized for filing a false tax return is three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

In his plea agreement, Mr. Dallemand admitted, among other things, that on or about May 8, 2014, he signed and submitted to the Internal Revenue Service a false United States Individual Income Tax Return Form 1040 for the tax year 2012 from his residence in Naples, Florida. In his 2012 Form 1040, Dallemand both under-reported his income and over-reported his itemized deductions. Of note, Mr. Dallemand failed to report an unauthorized $100,000 payment which was intended to influence Mr. Dallemand to perform, and to continue to perform, certain actions in his official capacity while he served as the Superintendent of the Bibb County School District.

Given the fact that Mr. Dallemand submitted his false 2012 tax return from his residence in Naples, Florida, venue for this charge is proper in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Two federal prosecutors from the Middle District of Georgia, based in Macon, were given specific authorization to prosecute this case before the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

“This plea is the result of a long standing and ongoing investigation into activities involving the Bibb County School District during and after the period when Mr. Dallemand served as the Superintendent. While this investigation has been conducted by authorities of the Middle District of Georgia, I want to acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Stephen Muldrow, and especially his staff in the Fort Myers Division of that office, in the prosecution of this case,” said United States Attorney Peterman.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Macon Resident Agency and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Macon Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Middle District of Georgia Beth Howard and Danial Bennett, designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Middle District of Florida, are prosecuting the case for the Government.