PORTLAND – A Saco accountant who bilked clients out of more than $2 million was sentenced Tuesday to nearly six years in federal prison.

John Baert, former owner of Harmon-Baert Associates, also was ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution. Baert pleaded guilty in October to one count of impeding the administration of federal tax laws and 11 counts of mail fraud.

Baert’s attorney asked Judge D. Brock Hornby for a 2 1/2-year sentence, but Hornby instead followed the U.S. attorney’s recommendation of five years and 11 months.

Baert was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs after Hornby denied a request that he be allowed to report to prison on his own.

Prosecutors said that beginning in 1999, Baert failed to pay taxes for dozens of clients and kept tax refunds that were meant for them.

Most of the victims owned small businesses, including restaurants, motels and campgrounds, and had to struggle to pay the IRS the taxes that Baert was supposed to pay on their behalf. When Baert later filed for bankruptcy, he listed 37 pizza houses and seven Dairy Queens among his creditors.

Prosecutors said Baert was juggling accounts by paying off taxes, fines and penalties for one client with money coming in from other clients until ultimately he didn’t have enough money coming in to cover other accounts.

At Tuesday’s 2 1/2-hour hearing, victims who testified included the owners of a Biddeford Dairy Queen, a Sanford Dairy Queen, a Biddeford car repair garage and an Old Orchard Beach campground, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Dilworth. A former employee and Baert’s sister testified on his behalf, Dilworth said.

Baert was arrested in December 2003 at his daughter’s house in Florida, a couple of weeks after the IRS raided his business and home and he fled the state.