The owner of a consulting services company today admitted evading taxes while operating his business in 2009, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Oscar N. James Sr., 60, of West Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to Count Two of an information charging him with tax evasion.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

As the owner of The James Group, James intentionally under-reported the income that he received for tax years 2008 and 2009 by filing false federal personal income tax returns. James admitted that he was responsible for underreporting $173,796 in income for the 2009 tax year, resulting in a tax loss of $61,046.

The tax evasion charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Jan. 11, 2018.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen: the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacques S. Pierre and Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.