PORTLAND, Maine — A Kennebunk fisherman pleaded guilty Thursday to multiple counts of tax fraud and was sentenced to four years in prison with all but two years suspended.
Brian Morse, 54, a commercial fisherman, pleaded guilty to failing to file and pay Maine income taxes in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010, according to a release from Maine Attorney General Janet Mills.
Superior Court Justice John O’Neil sentenced Morse to four years in prison with all but two years suspended and two years probation after his release. Morse must also pay $15,350 in restitution, the amount of taxes he still owes.
Morse’s history of failing to file and pay income taxes extends back to the 1980s, according to the attorney general’s office.
Morse previously was convicted in December 2002 of failing to pay taxes from 1996 to 2001, and was convicted again in March 2007 for failing to pay taxes from 2002 to 2005, according to the release.
Morse failed to appear for several court dates on the new tax offenses and for failure to pay restitution from previous convictions. He was arrested a number of times in order to ensure his court appearance.
This case was investigated by the Maine Revenue Services’ Criminal Investigations Unit.
“All Mainers must pay their fair share,” said Mills said in the release. “My office will continue to prosecute those who fail to comply with Maine’s tax laws. And we will pursue repeat offenders who demonstrate they have not learned that they need to comply with their tax obligations.”