Preparer Who Officed In Gym Guilty of False Returns

[jcolvin2]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 21, 2008
http://WWW.USDOJ.GOVTAX
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888

District Heights, Maryland, Tax Preparer Convicted of Preparing False Returns
WASHINGTON - DaJuan Jackson, a former tax return preparer of American Tax Associates Inc. (ATA), located in a Run N’ Shoot gym in District Heights, Md., was convicted of eights counts of preparing false income tax returns following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus in Greenbelt, Md., the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Rodrick Williams, Jackson’s co-worker at ATA, pleaded guilty to tax conspiracy earlier this year.

According to the indictment and evidence introduced at trial, Jackson and Williams, currently of Atlanta, prepared tax returns at the branch office. Jackson and Williams were the two main preparers in the branch, which was responsible for preparing approximately 900 tax returns per year at the height of its business in 2004. Williams testified during the trial that he and Jackson devised a scheme to place false information on the tax returns of ATA clients in an effort to increase refunds.

Jackson was acquitted on eight additional counts of preparing false income tax returns. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the conspiracy and seven additional counts.

"Unscrupulous tax return preparers should beware," said Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. "Not only is the government committed to stopping return preparers who promote tax fraud, but, as today’s conviction shows, juries are holding unscrupulous return preparers accountable too."

Judge Titus scheduled sentencing of Jackson for Feb. 19, 2009. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2009. Williams faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Jackson faces up to 24 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million for convictions of assisting in the filing of false tax returns.

"Today’s conviction proves that stealing from the government is a serious crime," said Eileen Mayer, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI). "The IRS and Department of Justice continue our efforts to stop unscrupulous tax return preparers who not only cheat the government but deceive their clients as well."

Assistant Attorney General Nathan J. Hochman thanked IRS-CI, which investigated the case, and Tax Division trial attorneys Jerrod Patterson and Shawn Noud, who prosecuted the case.

More information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division and its enforcement efforts is available at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax