Husband and Wife Indicted for Filing False Retaliatory Liens Against Two Federal Judges and Other Government Employees

A federal grand jury sitting in Eugene, Oregon, returned a superseding indictment yesterday against a couple previously residing in Coquille, Oregon, charging them with one count of conspiracy to file false retaliatory liens and four counts of filing false retaliatory liens against government employees for performing their official duties, Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced.  The original indictment was returned on March 18.     

According to the superseding indictment, Ronald D. Joling and Dorothea Joling were convicted in October 2014 on various criminal charges related to their federal income taxes.  While on pretrial release in that case, the Jolings filed false retaliatory liens claiming that multiple federal employees each owed the Jolings $100.003 million.  The federal employees against whom these false liens were filed included two federal judges assigned to the criminal tax case, the clerk of the court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon and the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the criminal tax case.  The liens were publicly filed with the Secretary of State for the state of California. 

The Jolings were scheduled to be sentenced in the criminal tax case on April 22, but failed to appear in court.  They were fugitives until arrested on Oct. 5, in Flagstaff, Arizona.  The Jolings are currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.  Arraignment in the retaliatory lien case is scheduled for Nov. 23, before Judge Michael J. McShane.  Sentencing in the criminal tax case is scheduled for Dec. 10, before Chief Judge Ann L. Aiken. If convicted in the retaliatory liens case, the Jolings each face a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $1 million in fines. 

An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Jen E. Ihlo and Trial Attorney Thomas A. Agnello of the Tax Division.