GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE
LAFAYETTE, La. — The grimy halls of justice were shaken this week as James Lynden Burton, 48, and his ex-wife, Lucretia Pecantte-Burton, 50, both attorneys from New Iberia, Louisiana, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to willfully failing to file federal tax returns.
According to court documents, the couple, partners at Pecantte-Burton & Burton, a law firm specializing in general legal services and representation, have been cashing in on their clients while dodging their own tax obligations. From 2007 to 2009, they amassed income from both their law practice and a partnership interest in a tax return preparation business without filing the necessary returns.
Their deceitful scheme unraveled when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) caught wind of their financial shenanigans and launched a criminal investigation. The Burtons were forced to file delinquent returns after being exposed, but it was too late to undo the damage they had done.
Both Burton and Pecantte-Burton now face a statutory maximum sentence of 12 months in prison, a term of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. The couple’s legal misdeeds are yet another stain on the reputation of the legal profession.
In a statement, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley for the Western District of Louisiana thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney David Joseph and Trial Attorney Daniel McGraw, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Tax Division and its relentless pursuit of tax evaders, visit their website.
Related Federal Cases
- New Orleans Woman Sentenced for Tax Fraud · Louisiana
- Kenner Woman Nisika West Sentenced in $177K Tax Fraud Scheme · Louisiana
- Kenner Couple Sentenced in Tax Fraud Scheme · Louisiana
- Andrea W. White Gets 26 Months for Tax Fraud Scheme · Louisiana
- Hammond Tax Prep Biz Owner Harris Hit with Fraud Charges · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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