Poland man pleads guilty to income-tax evasion charges

CLEVELAND — A Poland man pleaded guilty as charged to three counts of income-tax evasion and four counts of making false claims for federal income-tax refunds, the IRS announced.

Paul G. Churlik entered his plea to all seven counts in the indictment against him Monday before U.S. District Judge James S. Gwin, who will sentence him at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 1. Churlik faces up to five years in prison.

Churlik admitted failing to file federal income tax returns for 2004-06 and causing his employer not to withhold those taxes from his wages during those years by giving his employer a false IRS W-4 form.

During those years, Churlik had combined taxable income of $294,345, on which he owed $30,576 that he failed to report or pay to the IRS. Churlik also admitted he falsely claimed refunds for 2006-09, with the four false claims totaling $42,432.