Former Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Tax Evasion

BUFFALO—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Bernard Lane, 50, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara to mail fraud and tax evasion. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, who is handling the case, stated that between April 2003 and November 2006, the defendant was employed as the Director of the Information Technology Department at Williams Advanced Materials. During that time, Lane directed the purchase of 251 laptop computers and directed that invoices be submitted to Williams Advanced Materials for payment. After receiving the computers, the defendant then sold them to another individual for approximately $175,000. For the tax years 2005 through 2007, Lane failed to file federal income tax returns, which would have included the money he received for the sale of the laptop computers. As a result, the defendant owes the Internal Revenue Service approximately $58,524 in unpaid taxes.

The plea was the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Victor W. Lessoff.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.