Pueblo Man Sentenced To 71 Months In Federal Prison For Tax Evasion, Bank Fraud And Interfering With IRS Laws

DENVER – Michael Destry Williams, age 49, of Pueblo, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to serve 71 months in federal  prison for tax evasion, currency structuring, bank fraud, and interfering with the IRS’s administration of the internal revenue laws, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced.  Williams was also ordered to serve a five year term of supervised release, following his prison sentence, and to pay a $10,000 fine and  $60,597.80 in restitution to the IRS.  Williams has remained in federal custody in this case since his arrest on  June 26, 2013 and will ultimately be designated to a Bureau of Prisons facility to complete service of his imprisonment term.

Williams was found guilty by a jury on November 5, 2013 following a 6 day trial before Judge Arguello.  Williams was indicted by federal grand jury in Denver on March 22, 2012, followed by a superseding indictment on July 26, 2012. 

According to the indictment, superseding indictment and evidence presented at trial, Williams was self-employed as a general contractor focusing primarily on residential construction projects, including roofing, remodeling and the repair and restoration of residential structures sustaining fire and water related damage.  He was also self-employed as a real estate investor involved in the purchase, renovation and resale (commonly known, as “fixing and flipping”) of residential properties. Williams operated under the name of Greenview Construction, Inc., a Colorado corporation. 

From April 2005 and continuing through January 2008, Williams willfully attempted to evade a substantial amount of income tax and self-employment tax due and owing by him to the United States for calendar years 2005, 2006 and 2007.  He failed to file income tax returns and failed to pay to the IRS income tax and self-employment tax.   To conceal his income, Williams established and used trusts as part of his tax evasion scheme and structured over $90,000 in deposited funds from July 2008 through September 2008.

In November of 2009, Williams attempted to defraud a Colorado financial institution by depositing worthless fabricated United States Treasury checks for his own benefit.  There were two false treasury checks totaling $55,000 payable to Greenview Construction.   In February of 2010, there was a third fabricated United States Treasury check in the amount of $250,000 that Williams tendered to the El Paso County Court to settle a criminal misdemeanor case for which he had been sentenced to a jail term.

From October 2008 through December 2010, Williams mailed numerous frivolous correspondences to the Secretary of the Treasury as well as various IRS offices in an attempt to obstruct and impede the administration of the internal revenue laws.  The obstructive efforts included attempts by Williams to target State of Colorado judicial officers who had presided over three separate state cases in which Williams was named as a defendant.  In particular, Williams sent IRS criminal referrals accusing one of these judicial officers and the Clerk of the El Paso County District Court with committing criminal tax and related offenses.

“As part of his wholesale disregard for his legal obligations, Mr. Williams decided simply to pocket money due to the IRS for both his income tax and his self-employment tax,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh.  “Because of his criminal actions, the defendant is going to spend nearly 6 years in federal prison.”

“This sentencing is a reminder there are serious and significant consequences for those who commit tax fraud.  IRS CI will continue their pursuit of those who attempt to defraud and intentionally interfere with America's tax system,” said Stephen Boyd, Special Agent in Charge for IRS Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office.

“Congratulations all around for the excellent work on this case,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.  “This is another example of outstanding collaboration between TIGTA and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division to stop fraudulent schemes in their tracks.  Those who engage in such schemes will be investigated and referred for prosecution.  Thanks to the work of Mr. Harmon and his entire office, such individuals are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

This case was investigated by agents with IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Harmon with assistance from the Department of Justice Tax Division Trial Attorney Kevin Sweeney.