WTP Plaintiffs sentenced to prison

[Demosthenes]

Husband, wife sentenced for tax evasion

05:03 PM EDT on Monday, July 30, 2007

By 13News

A man and his wife were sentenced in Norfolk Monday on tax evasion charges.

Louis T. Faison, Jr., 62, and his wife Veta B. Faison, 59, both pleaded guilty to the charges against them in February.

The Faisons, both former City of Virginia Beach School System employees, were accused of filing false and inflated W-2's from 1998 to 2004. According to court documents, they earned approximately $750,000 during that time in joint gross income.

Mr. Faison was sentenced to 15 months in prison. His wife was sentenced to 8 months.

The federal tax loss for the six years they failed to pay was allegedly over $124,000.

[Demosthenes]

Former Beach educators to go to prison for tax evasion
By TIM MCGLONE, The Virginian-Pilot
© July 31, 2007 | Last updated 12:08 AM Jul. 31

NORFOLK

A long time Virginia Beach assistant principal broke down in tears Monday as a federal judge sentenced her to prison time for tax evasion.

Veta B. Faison and her husband, Louis T. Faison, a retired teacher, were sentenced after admitting they failed to pay any income taxes for seven years. The couple at one time called themselves tax protestors, but now admit their positions were misguided.

"I'm deeply sorry for what I've done," a sobbing Veta Faison told the judge. "I am ashamed of myself."

Several witnesses, including Veta Faison's cousin - a federal judge in Washington - urged the judge to spare the 59-year-old woman jail time.

U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar granted Veta Faison some leniency. He sentenced her to eight months in prison, while the federal sentencing rules called for 12 to 18 months.

Louis Faison, 62, who said he controlled the family finances, was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

The couple already repaid the Internal Revenue Service about $148,000 for taxes they should have paid between 1998 and 2004. In those years, they claimed zero taxable income and submitted tax protest literature with their returns.

Doumar noted that the couple apparently had known they were breaking the law. He cited "inappropriate" filings in the couple's 1997 bankruptcy case that conflicted with their tax returns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Seidel Jr., who prosecuted the case, noted that the couple lived lavishly during the years they paid no taxes. He said they drove Mercedes-Benz cars, were members of a country club, paid for a $100,000 retirement fund and paid for their children's college education.

Seidel said the couple was "motivated by greed."

"This is not some case where there was a misunderstanding of the law," he said.

Veta Faison's attorney, Franklin A. Swartz, asked the judge to sentence his client to home detention. He called the federal sentencing rules in this case "harsh, rigid and severe," and said that she should be given credit for her 35 years as an educator, her volunteer work and other successes. She retired in March as assistant principal at Tallwood Elementary.

Doumar said he was impressed with the "outstanding" characteristics of the defendants.

"What we're saying is that the rich go unpunished. We can't do that and promote respect for the law," the judge said.

[The Observer]

What? Bob Schulz wasn't there to defend them? Or did he chuck the Faisons over the side when they admitted guilt?

[Imalawman]

Admitting mistakes and willing to be held accountable and the judge gave out less jail time. hmmm, I wonder if there's a connection? Also, I see that the husband admitted he was the controller of the finances and took a stiffer sentence - not the usual TP method.

[.]

The Faisons, both former City of Virginia Beach School System employees, were accused of filing false and inflated W-2's from 1998 to 2004.

Inflated W-2s? LOL.

This reporter needs to buy a clue. Or two or three.