An Auburn business owner faces prison after he pleaded guilty to fraudulently accepting more than $250,000 in federal worker’s compensation payments.

Mark Anthony Correnti, owner of Safe N Sound storage in Auburn, possibly faces five years in prison after he signed a plea agreement Friday stating he was guilty to seven counts of filing false statements to obtain federal employee’s compensation.

According to the agreement filed in the Eastern District of the United States District Court, Correnti “knowingly made false statements” on several Department of Labor forms filled out on several dates between January 2000 and September 2008.

For example, Correnti wrote “yes” when asked if he was “unemployed for all periods during the past 15 months,” the agreement stated.

Prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement that during that eight-year period, Correnti received $251,609.52 in disability payments he was not entitled to.

In July 2008, Office of Inspector General Department of Defense undercover special agents met with Correnti at his storage yard located off an unmarked driveway on Locksley Lane in North Auburn.

The undercover agents asked about renting storage space. During the conversation, Correnti reportedly told the agents that “he is at the location at all times; that he is the one responsible for the decisions at the business; that the business sis all he does; that it is his ‘dream job,’” according to the plea agreement.

Correnti also reportedly told them he was in business for eight years.

Investigators also uncovered videotaped Placer County Board of Supervisors meetings during which Correnti appeared on behalf of Safe N Sound Storage. They also found court filings between Correnti and customers, contractors and neighbors. The court papers stated that Correnti and his wife own Safe N Sound Storage, according to the plea agreement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said it would not seek forfeiture of Safe N Sound Storage as part of the agreement.

Correnti identified himself when the Journal called the phone number for the storage yard Monday.

He declined to comment about the case.

On Monday, Safe N Sound’s gated yard housed about seven motor homes or trailers and about six boats.

There was no office visible from the closed-off driveway and only a sign listing a phone number and P.O. Box address for payments.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Correnti started to receive disability payments from the federal government in 1989 after he injured his back working as a civilian employee for the U.S. Navy.

Since 2000, the payments grew from about $2,000 a month to $2,214.72 a month in September 2008, the plea agreement stated.

As part of the plea agreement, Correnti agreed to give up his right to appeal his conviction.

Correnti’s sentencing is set for 9 a.m. Jan. 29, 2010 before U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell.

The maximum sentence Correnti faces is five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com.