Nixa man pleads guilty to false tax filings

A Nixa man has pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the government by claiming false tax returns for himself and others, according to a Sept. 15 news releases from Beth Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Jason Powell, 32, confessed to creating false W-2 forms for himself and others by using names of two nonexistent companies - Diligent Data Server and Silverleave Deed and Trust - and listing wages never actually earned, with federal income tax amounts listed that were never withheld or paid, according to a plea agreement filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri Southern Division provided to SBJ by Don Ledford, public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri.

Powell created at least eight fraudulent tax income returns. The government's loss was $65,605, which includes tax refunds and economic stimulus payments, the release said.

The plea agreement also listed names of Powell's co-conspirators: William Crocker, Michael Herrod, Stephanie White, William Kuda Jr., Christopher Muirhead, Michael Hammond and Jeremy Whitcher. None of these individuals have been criminally charged.

Powell waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard Dorr on Sept. 14.

Judgment could subject Powell to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine of up to $250,000, the release said.

A sentencing hearing is to be scheduled following the completion of a U.S. Probation Office presentence investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Mohlhenrich and was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.[[In-content Ad]]