Two Louisiana attorneys pleaded guilty Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to willfully failing to file federal tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley for the Western District of Louisiana.

According to documents filed with the court, James Lynden Burton, 48, and his ex-wife, Lucretia Pecantte-Burton, 50, of New Iberia, La., are licensed attorneys and were partners of the law firm of Pecantte-Burton & Burton. The law firm offered general legal services and representation and regularly received cash payments from clients for legal services rendered. They also had a partnership interest in a tax return preparation business. For tax years 2007, 2008 and 2009, Burton and Pecantte-Burton did not file individual income tax returns despite earning income from their law practice and the tax return preparation business. They filed delinquent returns after learning that they were under criminal investigation by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Burton and Pecantte-Burton each face a statutory maximum sentence of 12 months in prison as well as a term of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Finley thank special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Joseph and Trial Attorney Daniel McGraw, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.