U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury
has returned an indictment charging Patrick Dandrea, 55, of Rochester, New York,
with two counts of filing false tax returns. Each count carries a maximum
sentence of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who is handling the case, stated
that according to the indictment, the defendant was awarded a contract with Erie
County in 2006 to remove damaged trees and branches following a severe snow
storm. As a result of this contract, Dandrea received over $5,000,000 in
payments, which he failed to report on his 2006 and 2007 federal income tax
returns.
The defendant was arrested this morning and will be arraigned before U.S.
Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman at 12:00 p.m. today in Rochester.
The arrest and indictment are the culmination of an investigation on the part
of special agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations
Division, under the direction of Victor Lessoff, Special Agent in Charge; and
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in
Charge Christopher M. Piehota.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an
accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven
guilty.
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