BIRMINGHAM – A federal judge today sentenced a Trussville man to five months in prison followed by five months in home detention for not filing federal income tax returns on $838,180 in income over five years, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Veronica Hyman-Pillot.

U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced DON WALTER WILLIAMS JR., 54, on five counts of failure to file income tax returns for the years 2005 through 2009, while Williams was the sole owner of Covenant Mortgage Company. The Trussville company is no longer in business. Williams pleaded guilty to the charges in July. As part of his plea, he agreed to pay $196,729 in taxes owed, plus penalties and interest, to the Internal Revenue Service. Judge Proctor ordered that payment and directed Williams to report to prison Jan. 16.

“Living in the United States comes with many rights and responsibilities. One of the key responsibilities is to file federal income tax returns and pay any taxes due,” Vance said. “Failure to meet that responsibility is a crime, and tax violators should expect to be prosecuted.”

“The term voluntary compliance means that each of us is responsible for filing a tax return when required and for paying the correct amount of tax," Hyman-Pillot said. "That responsibility should not be taken lightly. Mr. Williams chose to ignore his duty to file and pay taxes and is now a convicted felon with a prison term to serve."

IRS-Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whisonant Sr.

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