NEW ORLEANS — A LaPlace woman is facing a lengthy prison sentence following a federal indictment handed down this week, charging her with filing false statements on tax returns and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced Christie Robinson, 39, of LaPlace was charged Thursday in a four-count indictment with filing false statements on tax returns and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

Jerome R. McDuffie, acting special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, said authorities are pleased with Thursday’s indictment announcement.

“Our office will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the aggressive pursuit and prosecution of individuals who intentionally violate the nation’s laws,” he said. “Identity theft and the submission of false income tax returns are serious crimes that will be vigorously pursued by our agency.”

Polite said the indictment charges Robinson as the owner and operator of a tax return preparation business in Kenner called CRR Services. Robinson received fees charged for the preparation of these individuals’ tax returns, he said.

“Robinson failed to include all of the substantial fees she received for income tax return preparation,” Polite said in a release referencing the indictment. “In 2007, she declared $80,000 in fees and failed to disclose $195,000. In 2009, she disclosed $100,000 but failed to include an additional $67,000. In 2010, she declared $71,000 but failed to declare $149,000. Finally, in 2011 she declared $170,000 but excluded $60,000.

“For the four tax years (2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011), Robinson failed to disclose a total of $471,000 in income.”

The final three counts of the indictment charge Robinson with aggravated identity theft for electronically filing three tax returns using individuals’ names, dates of birth and social security numbers without their permission.

If convicted on the tax charges, Polite said Robinson faces a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment on each count with a fine of $100,000 and up to three years of supervised release, as well as having to reimburse the United States for the cost of the investigation.

If convicted on the aggravated identity theft, Robinson faces two years incarceration per count consecutive to any sentence she would receive on the tax counts, $250,000 fine, restitution to the victims and three years supervised release.

Polite praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in investigating the matter, adding Assistant United States Attorney Carter K. D. Guice Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.