A Cameron Park man has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax evasion in El Dorado Superior Court, according to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB).
Gary Scheffel, 55, a self-employed optometrist, made an arranged plea before El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Smith on June 28. His wife, Loretta Jean Scheffel, 53, also pleaded guilty to one count of felony tax evasion. Loretta, who served as office manager for the Folsom-based business, was sentenced to five years probation. Each was ordered to serve 200 hours of community service.
The couple was arrested in April 2001 for failing to file state income tax returns from 1994-1999. The investigation was begun after the Scheffels failed to respond to numerous requests and demands from FTB to file state income tax returns.
For the years under investigation, the Scheffel's total taxable income was $458,717 with $21,233 in state income taxes.
As part of the sentence, the couple was ordered to file all delinquent state income tax returns; pay all tax, penalties, interest and the cost of investigation totaling $74,786.
El Dorado County Deputy District Attorney Paul Sutherland prosecuted the case.