"The government has not rebutted reliable medical evidence that interruption in the regimen of [Tutunjian's] health care creates a lethal risk and a near certainty that his serious diabetic complication will worsen more quickly,'' attorneys wrote. "A prison sentence would be unduly and unnecessarily disproportionate.''

Attorneys for the 67-year-old have asked US District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to allow the former owner of Boston Cab to stay out of prison. Tutunjian has diabetes and the federal Bureau of Prisons is not equipped to provide proper medical care, the attorneys wrote.

Edward J. Tutunjian, the former king of Boston's struggling taxi industry, is expected to learn Tuesday whether he will be imprisoned for federal tax and fraud offenses.


But US Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office contends he should spend two years behind bars, followed by 12 months of supervised release. Prosecutors said concerns about Tutunjian's health can be addressed in prison where 12,364 inmates have been diagnosed with some form of diabetes.

"Tutunjian has diabetes, which he has had since the mid-1990s, and hypertension. These are far from unique health issues,'' federal prosecutors wrote.

Tutunjian, as part of an agreement with prosecutors, has agreed to pay $2 million in fines.

Tutunjian this summer pleaded guilty to payroll tax evasion, employing illegal immigrants, and failing to pay overtime wages.

His company, EJT Management Inc., through which he operates Boston Cab, was also charged with defrauding the Department of Housing and Urban Development by enabling EJT employees to obtain federal housing subsidies they were not entitled to. Tutunjian's daughter Mary Tarpy, who now runs the company, pleaded guilty on its behalf. The company has agreed to pay more than $200,000 in restitution under a plea agreement.

Tutunjian was the subject of a 2013 Globe Spotlight report that showed widespread exploitation of workers in the industry.


John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.