Brunswick men convicted of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service

Two Brunswick men have been convicted of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Federal prosecutors say 70-year-old F. William Messier faces up to eight years in prison and $500,000 in fines. Seventy-eight-year-old David E. Robinson faces up to five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.

Prosecutors say Messier earned income generated on leases from telecommunication towers on his property and the IRS assessed taxes and interest against him of $172,000 for 2000 to 2004. According to court testimony, after the IRS sent notices of levy to Messier's customers, he and Robinson tried to obstruct the IRS enforcement of the levy including presenting the IRS with a fake money order. Robinson is also accused of urging customers not to pay the IRS, and to pay Messier instead.