PORTLAND (AP) — A California man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a $3.8 million counterfeit check scheme in Oregon.

Barton Albert Buhtz, 68, of Sunland, Calif., was convicted by a federal jury last October in Medford of conspiracy and passing fake U.S. Treasury checks.

Buhtz was indicted in September 2005 by a federal grand jury charging him and four others with using fake checks drawn on nonexistent Treasury accounts to pay property taxes in Jackson and Coos counties, to pay federal income taxes and to attempt to buy property, recreational vehicles and other goods and services.

The indictment alleged that Buhtz, a self-styled “consumer advocate,” conducted promotional seminars on the so-called “redemption” process in Oregon and elsewhere between August 2001 and April 2003.

The redemption theory is based on the fictional claim that government funds are placed in secret accounts at the U.S. Treasury at birth for every person born in the United States.

Prosecutors said Buhtz convinced many to join the redemption movement and encouraged them to use so-called bills of exchange for access to the fictional Treasury accounts to discharge debts to third parties.

Buhtz did not demand payment for his services, but he did accept “voluntary donations,” prosecutors said.

Rebecca Shollenburg of Prineville, Richard Aquila of Medford and Steven Kelton of Central Point all pleaded guilty to conspiracy and testified against Buhtz as part of a plea agreement.

A co-defendant, Steven Shollenburg, of Prineville and formerly of Medford, was acquitted.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI.

Buhtz remains free pending an appeal.

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On the Net: U.S. Treasury Department site on fraud: http://www.treasurydirect.gov/instit/statreg/fraud/fraud.htm