Rochester Man Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Patrick Dandrea, 55, of Rochester, New York, who was convicted of filing false tax returns, was sentenced to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Frank P. Geraci. The defendant was also ordered to pay $466,007 in restitution.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who handled the case, stated that the defendant was awarded a contract from Erie County in 2006 to remove damaged trees and branches following the October Storm. Dandrea received over $5,000,000 in payments, which he failed to report on his 2006 and 2007 Federal Income Tax Returns. As a result, the Internal Revenue Service incurred a tax loss of over $460,000. In addition to being responsible for the tax loss, the defendant is also liable for interest payments and penalties of over $265,000 going back to 2006. Dandrea has previous federal convictions for mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni Weirauch; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig.