WESTPORT — The owner of a local tree business has pleaded guilty on evading taxes on more than $900,000 in unreported income, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Connecticut.

Robert Porzio, 48, of Westport, owner of Bert’s Tree Service, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion Thursday before U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill in Bridgeport.

Porzio’s plea was announced by acting U.S. Attorney Leonard Boyle for Connecticut, and Joleen Simpson, special agent in charge of IRS criminal investigations in New England.

During the 2012 to 2016 tax years, the federal officials said, Porzio did not report a total of more than $900,000 in additional income from numerous customers’ checks that he deposited in personal bank accounts. 

He transferred a “significant portion” of the money into a personal investment account, while not disclosing those additional payments to the tree service’s bookkeeper, the officials said.

Taking into account the unreported payments, Porzio’s income-tax liability and his company’s payroll-tax obligations resulted in a loss of $331,388 to the IRS, according to the announcement.

Porzio, who was released after posting $50,000 bond,  faces a maximum five-year prison term. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 10 by Judge Underhill.