Manchester Lawyer Gets Jail Time In Tax Case Involving Millions

MANCHESTER, CT — A Manchester lawyer was given jail time and a fine in a case of underreported income taxes involving millions of dollars, a leading prosecutor said. He's also on track to pay money back.

John H. Durham, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, said that Justin Freeman, 47, of Manchester, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to eight months in prisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing tax returns that substantially underreported his income.

Judge Dooley also ordered Freeman to pay a $4,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Freeman is a lawyer who owns and operates his own law practice, The Law Offices of Justin C. Freeman, based in Hartford. For the 2010, 2011 and 2012 tax years, Freeman signed individual federal income tax returns that underreported more than $1.2 million in income he received from his law practice, according to case records.

The returns were subsequently filed by his tax preparer.

Case records show:

• For 2010, Freeman reported $476,228 in total income, but actually earned $860,041.93.
• For 2011, he reported $410,002 in total income, but actually earned $1,093,147.43.
• For 2012, he reported $529,673 in total income, but actually earned $696,559.43.

The tax loss to the IRS resulting from this criminal conduct was $419,259, prosecutors said.

On November 28, 2018, Freeman pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.

Since learning he was under criminal investigation, Freeman has paid the $419,259 he owed for the 2010 through 2012 tax years, and an additional $3,329,527 in taxes, interest and penalties for the 2013 through 2016 tax years, Durham said.

He in on track to make estimated payments for the 2017 through 2019 tax years. He still owes approximately $1.3 million in back taxes, interest and penalties, Durham said.

Freeman, who has been released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 1, Durham said.