A San Ramon man was sentenced Tuesday to nearly two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion charges.

Thomas Calise, 50, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly a half-million dollars in restitution, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

Calise pleaded guilty to the charge in May.

He admitted that beginning in 2004, while he was employed with Fidelity Capital Funding and paid based on commission, he asked his employer to pay his commissions for 2004 and 2005 to his spouse.

Calise admitted that he intentionally failed to report the income he earned from Fidelity to the IRS.

In 2006 and 2007, Calise asked his employer to issue and pay his salary and commissions to a company that he controlled, TC Financial, rather than to himself. He also intentionally failed to report the income he diverted to TC Financial during 2006 and 2007.

For tax years 2004 through 2007, Calise owed approximately $493,887 in additional tax.

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