A Youngstown area attorney is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Wednesday after being convicted of taking part in a scheme to steal more than $1.3 million from the IRS. 

Robert J. Rohrbaugh, 49, of Canfield was convicted in January on charges of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, aiding and abetting theft of government property, aiding and abetting false claims against the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 

According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial, Rohrbaugh assisted co-conspirators Brandon Mace and Terris Chanley Baker with obtaining a tax refund check for a fictitious business in the amount of $1,352,799. 

Court documents state that in early 2015, Mace and Baker attempted to launder money by purchasing several high-end and luxury vehicles. 

In addition, evidence showed that Mace and Baker used $150,000 of the refund check to pay Rohrbaugh for his services.

In a sentencing memorandum, Rohrbaugh’s attorney is suggesting that his client could be punished with probation, supervised release, or home detention.

"Mr. Rohrbaugh feels immense remorse for his decisions. He asks this Court to consider his circumstances as you decide what is best for an appropriate sentence,” writes defense attorney Samuel Amendolara. “He admits that what he did was wrong. Other than this mistake, Mr. Rohrbaugh has led a law-abiding life as a criminal defense attorney, father, husband, and active community member. He would like to leave this mistake behind him and to go on to lead a life as a lawful citizen and father."

However, prosecutors are recommending the highest sentence possible ranging from 5 to 7 years in prison in addition to making restitution of $569,939 to the IRS for his part in the scheme.

In their sentencing memorandum, the U.S. Attorney argues that as an attorney, Rohrbaugh had the education and training to recognize a fraudulent check and an understanding of what he was getting into when he agreed to help his co-defendants cash the check.

“Second, and perhaps even more egregious, was Rohrbaugh’s willingness to do it all over again,” says First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Baeppler in the government’s sentencing memo.  “In February 2018, when Mace came to Rohrbaugh’s office and told him he had a ‘”couple of items, roughly 650,000,’”

The government says Rohrbaugh signed up to help hide the proceeds “without hesitation, even giving Mace a tutorial in money laundering in the process. At this point, there could have been absolutely no doubt in Rohrbaugh’s mind that Mace was a tax cheat.”

Co-defendant Brandon Mace pleaded guilty in September 2020 and was sentenced to 5 years in prison for his role in the scheme. The second co-defendant Terris Chanley Baker is serving an eight-year prison term after being convicted by a jury for his part in the plot.