A Brookhaven psychologist was sentenced to more than six yearsin prison Wednesday after being convicted on multiple counts ofdefrauding Medicare, officials said.

Dr. Allan K. Hearne, a psychologist and owner of BrookhavenPsychiatry and Psychological Associates, was convicted in June ofconspiracy to defraud the United States, health care fraud,obstructing a federal investigation and making a false statement tothe Social Security Administration.

Hearne was sentenced Wednesday, said John Dowdy of the U.S.Attorney’s Office in Jackson. He said Hearn was not only guilty ofdefrauding a government agency, but in the end, Hearne was stealingfrom American taxpayers.

“Here’s the situation: in regard to these cases, you have ahealth care program such as Medicare that is funded by taxpayerdollars,” Dowdy said. “It’s like any other program that is fundedby the taxpayer.”

Hearne’s attorney, Wayne Dowdy, did not return phone callsseeking comment Thursday.

Hearn was ordered to pay more than $545,000 in restitution toMedicare on charges of conspiracy to defraud Medicare, four countshealth care fraud in relation to false billings made to Medicare,obstruction of a federal investigation, and making false statementsto the Social Security Administration.

Brookhaven’s Glenn Smith and Chris Thomas were indicted withHearne as accomplices in November 2008. Smith previously pleadedguilty to making a false statement relating to health care, andThomas pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to conspiracy todefraud the United States.

Justice Department officials said Hearne conspired to submitfalse and misleading patient diagnosis to the Social SecurityAdministration and billed Medicare often, claiming he was providinghealth services on a weekly basis when in actuality he was seeingthe patients only a few times per year. Hearne submitted more than$1.5 million in false bills to Medicare and received more than$600,000 in government funds.

“I don’t believe there is anyone that pays taxes that wantsother people defrauding lying, stealing and cheating a governmententity to get the tax dollars that you pay in every week from yourpaycheck,” John Dowdy said.