Donald J. McCarthy has been sentenced yesterday to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for tax evasion.

McCarthy, an attorney from East Hartford, filed federal personal income tax returns but failed to pay the outstanding tax balances due and owing, or failed to pay interest and penalties that had accrued on outstanding amounts, for the tax years 1997 through 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2008 through 2011.

In addition McCarthy did not file personal income tax returns at all for the tax years 2012 through 2014 and failed to pay taxes that were due and owing, as well as interest and penalties that had accrued on outstanding amounts.

McCarthy attempted to evade the payment of income taxes by depositing his payroll checks into his personal bank account and then, shortly thereafter, withdrawing a substantial portion of that money in cash and bank checks.

When he learned of the criminal investigation being conducted by the IRS in June 2015, McCarthy owed $1,437,037 in back taxes, interest and penalties. His restitution to the IRS now totals $1,522,734. He pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion on Sept. 11, 2017.