A former Cumberland County elected official and former Democratic Party leader was sentenced Tuesday to 14 months in prison for evading more than $ 250,000 in federal income taxes from his law firm, according to prosecutors.
Douglas M. Long pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Camden to one count of federal income tax evasion, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. A judge also sentenced Long to three years of supervised release, a $ 10,000 fine, and ordered him to pay restitution of $ 269,736.
Long was a managing partner at the law firm of Woodbury Long & Marmero LLP when he instructed the firm’s accountant to pay his personal expenses from the firm’s accounts, but to list them as business expenses to hide his true income between 2012 and 2015, according to the documents presented in the case.
“Many of Long’s personal expenses, including school tuition for his children, utilities and service fees for his personal residences, student loan payments for Long and his spouse, and other expenses, were repeatedly paid with the bank accounts of the law firm, “the prosecution said in a statement.
He also falsely stated that his personal tax returns for tax years 2012 to 2015 were accurate, when he was avoiding taxes, according to prosecutors.
The 55-year-old attorney served a term beginning in 2013 in a public office, now called the Board of County Commissioners. He was also co-chair of the Cumberland County Democratic Party.
After being elected in 2012, Long announced that he would not seek another term, citing a promise to his family to serve only one term.
Long’s attorney, William J. Hughes Jr., of the Morristown Porzio law firm, Bromberg & Newman PC, said his client has a “substantial” work history to benefit the community, which was found in the judgment, including charitable efforts. Prosecutors, Hughes said, sought a higher prison sentence for their client.
“Doug accepted responsibility,” Hughes added.
Long surrendered his attorney license when he pleaded guilty, according to his attorney.
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