12-06-05 -- Sullivan, Rev. Daniel -- Guilty Plea -- News Release

Roman Catholic Priest Admits Filing False Tax Returns

CAMDEN – A Roman Catholic Priest pleaded guilty today to a one-count Information charging that he made fraud and false statements on a 2000 United States Individual Income Tax Return, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

Rev. Daniel Sullivan, 56, of Tuckerton, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28, 2006.

Sullivan’s guilty plea is the result an investigation initiated by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and later turned over to federal investigators, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Chillemi.

According to the Information to which he pleaded guilty, Sullivan signed and filed with the Internal Revenue Service, a year 2000 Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, on his own behalf in February 2001. At that time, Sullivan was a resident of Brant Beach and served as pastor of a church in Hainesport. The tax return stated that the defendant’s adjusted gross income for the calendar year 2000 totaled $14,650.

At his plea hearing, Sullivan admitted that during the years of 1999 through 2002 he earned income from sources besides his salary as a Roman Catholic priest, including leading tours to foreign countries and religious retreats. Sullivan admitted that in 2000 he received additional taxable income of approximately $63,993 from leading tours and retreats, and failed to report the income on his tax return for the tax year. Additionally, Sullivan admitted that he understated his income on his tax returns for the years 1999, 2001 and 2002 by a total of $131,316. Sullivan admitted that by understating his income for the four tax years, he avoided paying total taxes owed of $33,740.

The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and false statements and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

In determining an actual sentence, Judge Rodriguez will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other factors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.

In the filing of a felony Information, a defendant waives the right to have his or her case presented to a federal grand jury and, instead, pleads guilty to charges presented by the government.

Christie credited Special Agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia J. Haynes, in Newark, and Investigators of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Robert Bernardi.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Chillemi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

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Defense Attorney: Katherine D. Hartman, Esq. Moorestown