By Dave Toplikar (contact)

Mon, Dec 1, 2008 (3:18 p.m.)

A Las Vegas lawyer who earlier plead guilty to tax evasion was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison.

Mark A. Lobello, a licensed Nevada attorney who practices in Las Vegas, was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2006, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan.

Mahan also ordered Lobello to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $141,667 in restitution to the IRS. That amount represents his unpaid personal income tax liability for 1997 through 2001. After the guilty plea and before sentencing, Lobello filed income tax returns for the years 2002 through 2005.

Lobello is free on a personal recognizance bond and must report to federal prison by Feb. 2, 2009.

According to Greg Brower, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, court filings showed Lobello earned a degree in business administration from UNLV and became a member of the Nevada State Bar in 1990.

Between 1994 and 2006, he practiced law in Las Vegas, and handled business disputes, personal injury lawsuits, and divorce matters.

Between the years 1997 and 2001, Lobello earned more than $600,000 in income, but did not file federal income tax returns nor pay any federal income taxes for the those years, even though he owed the IRS more than $140,000, Brower's office said.

Lobello also attempted to conceal his income from the IRS by dealing in cash; mixing business funds with personal funds; using multiple taxpayer identification numbers; holding assets in the names of nominees; filing frivolous motions to quash IRS requests for his records; and demanding that clients withdraw IRS paperwork indicating he had earned taxable income, Brower's office said.