Physician ordered to pen article on evasion of taxes

11/7/2000

A Toledo physician has been sentenced to three years probation for failing to file income tax returns, and, as part of his probation, must write an article meant to dissuade others from failing to file.

Dr. Lawrence Young, who pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion in December, also must serve the first six months of his sentence under electronic monitoring, U.S. District Judge David Katz ordered.

Judge Katz said if Young can't get his article published in a medical journal, he must have it run as a paid ad.

When he was indicted, federal officials said Young, 50, was a tax protester. The indictment contended he was employed by the West Central Medical Group, Inc., and submitted a document demanding that his pay not be subject to withholding tax.

He was charged with failing to file income tax for the years 1993 through 1995. The government alleged that he received an income of $320,154 in 1993 and owed the government $115,637.

His income was $296,129 in 1994, and he owed $105,531, the government said. In 1995, his taxable income was $425,129, and the government claimed he owed $159,813.

Though no payment schedule was included in the sentence, Judge Katz ordered Young to cooperate with the IRS in determining a final amount to be paid.

“I commend Judge Katz for this sentence. This is a progressive move on the judge's part and is consistent with IRS efforts to educate the public with their filing responsibilities,'' said Tom Brandon, special agent in charge of the IRS Cleveland office of criminal investigation.