VENTURA : Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

A Ventura man pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles federal courtroom Thursday to tax evasion and obstruction of justice charges in connection with his failure to report $167,648 on his 1987 income tax return, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Thomas G. Roots, 54, was arrested April 13 after a federal grand jury indictment.

Roots admitted before U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian that he failed to report income from the sale of insurance policies, property rentals, capital gains from the sale of real estate, interest, dividends and commission fees.

Roots also pleaded guilty to obstruction of tax collection activities. In connection with the obstruction plea, he admitted that he asked one of his tenants to give false information to the Internal Revenue Service about the amount of rent that the tenant paid to him.

The conviction resulted from an investigation by special agents of the IRS criminal investigation division in Oxnard. Roots faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a fine of $500,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 10.