Youngstown Doctor Failed to Pay IRS Nearly $900K in Employment and Income Taxes

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Wexford, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of willful failure to pay over taxes, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

William L. Houser, Jr., 58, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Houser, a licensed medical doctor and practitioner in Youngstown, Ohio, was required to withhold monies from the paychecks of his employees to cover their individual income, Social Security, and Medicare tax obligations, referred to as trust fund monies, and to remit the trust fund monies to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on a quarterly basis. He was also required to pay over to the IRS matching contributions for Social Security and Medicare, commonly known as employment taxes. Houser failed to pay over both employment and trust fund taxes during the period September 2009 through December 2014. He pleaded guilty to one count charging him with failing to pay over to the IRS trust fund taxes totaling $7,057.75, due by January 31, 2014, and agreed to pay the IRS restitution totaling $899,269 for both employment and income taxes that he failed to pay.

Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Houser was released on an unsecured bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Houser.