Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 18, 2007
Contact : Sue McKinney
CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE GOVERNMENT
Macon: Maxwell Wood, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced today that on December 18, 2007, MELVIN WARD, JR. was sentenced before the Honorable Hugh Lawson, Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
On September 24, 2007, WARD, age 40, resident of Bibb County, entered his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286, and a single count of making a false claim against the government in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287.
WARD devised a scheme whereby he obtained the names and Social Security numbers of various individuals, and using such information prepared false W-2 forms, prepared and filed, fictitious and fraudulent income tax returns, Forms 1040, each such incident being a false claim against the government.
Prior to filing said false and fictitious tax returns, WARD entered into an agreement with two individuals to use their respective bank accounts to allow for direct deposit of the falsely obtained refunds. Subsequently, WARD allowed the individuals to retain a portion of the fraudulently obtained proceeds as compensation for use of their bank accounts.
From on or about December 31, 2003, through on or about September 19, 2005, WARD filed more than twenty-five (25) false claims totaling approximately $155, 451.00 with the Internal Revenue Service. As a result of these false claims being filed, the Internal Revenue Service paid approximately $83, 456.80.
WARD received a sentence of seventy-eight (78) months, to be followed by three (3) years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition, WARD was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $83,456.80.
On November 27, 2007, WARD’s two co-defendants, STEVIE DAVIS and WALTER SOLOMON, JR., each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286, and are awaiting sentence.
The charges against WARD arose from an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Harry J. Fox, Jr.
Any questions concerning this matter should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office, at 478-621-2602.
