A man who skipped a sentencing hearing and eluded federal authorities for 20 years appeared in federal court in San Francisco Tuesday after he was found on Facebook and extradited from Canada, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Fracisco Legaspi, 61, formerly of Daly City, was indicted on three counts of aiding and filing false quarterly employment tax returns for Mission Childcare Consortium on Aug. 19, 1992.
Later that year he pleaded guilty to one count and was scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 1993 but never showed up for court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
He was indicted again on Feb. 24, 1993 with failing to appear but managed to avoid capture for the next 20 years.
Authorities used Facebook in 2012 to finally locate Legaspi, who has lived in London and Ontario, and he was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and extradited to the U.S., according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
He pleaded not guilty to the failure to appear charges and is next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg next Tuesday.
Legaspi faces a maximum of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the false tax returns charge and two years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the failure to appear charge.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
