Joseph Andershonis, Employment Tax Evasion, Pennsylvania 2017

SCRANTON – Stroudsburg man Joseph Andershonis, 58, has pleaded guilty to failing to pay employment taxes, prosecutors announced today. According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Andershonis, owner of Just Very Affordable, Inc., a Stroudsburg home renovation business, failed to pay employment taxes from the first quarter of 2010 to the last quarter of 2012, resulting in a tax loss of more than $212,000.

Andershonis pleaded guilty on March 20, 2017, before United States Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gotlob is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs.

Andershonis’s guilty plea comes as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS works tirelessly to ensure that businesses and individuals pay their fair share of taxes, and this case is a prime example of the consequences of failing to do so.

The sentence will be determined by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. This case serves as a reminder that tax evasion is a serious offense that can have severe consequences.

Andershonis is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who commit tax evasion are held accountable for their actions.

This case is a prime example of the importance of paying employment taxes. Businesses and individuals who fail to do so are not only cheating the system, but they are also putting their employees and clients at risk.

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