Man pleads guilty to defrauding $70k from Las Cruces business

LAS CRUCES – A federal judge sentenced a Las Cruces man to three years in prison and ordered he pay restitution after he pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges.

Robert Barnett pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of willfully making and subscribing a fraudulent induvial tax return.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Barnett worked for ProTax on the 1300 block of Lohman Avenue from 2008 until 2019.

During his 10-year tenure, federal investigators said Barnett transferred funds from ProTax’s bank accounts into his account. They also said Barnett opened credit cards under ProTax’s owner’s name to make personal purchases.

The complaint alleged that Barnett stole $38,174.72 in 2017 and $32,162.62 in 2018.

Federal court records show Barnett accepted a plea deal on Jan. 23. Barnett agreed to plead guilty in exchange for less prison time and a substantial fine and restitution payment. According to federal sentencing guidelines, Barnett was on the hook for a 20-year sentence.

Instead, he’ll serve no more than three years.

But Barnett will pay $100,000 in fines, $196,011 in restitution to ProTax’s owner, and $8,471 in unpaid taxes.

Justin Garcia covers crime, courts and public safety. He can be reached via email at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com.