Colorado Preparer Guilty of Tax Fraud

Charles W. McClure, a Colorado tax preparer, pleaded guilty to preparing false income tax returns and will face a 3 year jail term, a hundred thousand dollars fine and restitution of up to twelve thousand dollars.

McClure 58 of central Colorado will be sentenced later this year.

Authorities from the Internal Revenue Service searched two of McClure's business locations in Monte Vista, Colo, in 2003. At the time McClure was a tax preparer and a county commissioner when the crimes occurred.

McClure allegedly filed fraudulent tax forms in the names of low-income clients for non-existent small businesses. By increasing his clients' gross income, he was able to boost the amount they received as tax refunds.

The search warrant affidavit also noted that McClure's corporation had not filed corporate income tax returns since 1991.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado said in a statement, "Tax preparers should be the pillars of our system of taxation, not the architects of its circumvention."

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