Friday, November 20, 2009

Michael L. Halfman, 58, Wichita, Kan., has been sentenced to six months imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release including six months of home detention for embezzling more than $335,000 from the pharmacy he managed, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.

Halfman, former chief operating officer of Gessler Drug Company, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and one count of making a false statement on a tax return. In his plea, Halfman admitted he embezzled from cash deductibles on the sale of pharmaceuticals and general merchandise. He used health care benefit program checks to cover up the theft. The thefts totaled $335,532. On his federal income tax return for 2006 he failed to report more than $64,000 in income from the thefts.

The judge ordered Halfman to pay $21,617 in restitution and to cooperate with the IRS regarding any past or present tax liability.

Welch commended the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.