Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 13, 2008
Contact : Sue McKinney
SENTENCING FOR TAX VIOLATIONS
Maxwell Wood, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced today, March 13, 2008, STEVIE DAVIS and WALTER SOLOMON, JR. were sentenced before the Honorable Hugh Lawson, Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
On November 27, 2007, DAVIS, age 40, and SOLOMON, age 39, entered their respective guilty pleas to one (1) count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286. Both DAVIS and SOLOMON were residents of Macon, Georgia.
Their co-defendant, MELVIN WARD, JR., age 40, resident of Bibb County 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 being a false claim against the government.
Prior to filing said false and fictitious tax returns, WARD entered into an agreement with both DAVIS and SOLOMON to use their respective bank accounts to allow for direct deposits of the falsely obtained refunds. Subsequently, WARD allowed DAVIS and SOLOMON 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. These false claims resulted in the Internal Revenue Service paying approximately $ 83,456.80.
DAVIS maintained three (3) bank accounts. WARD filed approximately twenty-two (22) false claims totaling approximately $128,342.00 against the Internal Revenue Service, and directed the IRS to deposit the tax refunds into DAVIS’ bank accounts. The IRS paid refunds on approximately seven (7) of those claims, and deposited approximately $38,123.00 into DAVIS’ bank accounts.
SOLOMON maintained two (2) bank accounts. WARD filed approximately four (4) false claims totaling approximately $ 26,801.00 against the IRS, and directed the IRS to deposit the resulting tax refunds into SOLOMON’s bank accounts. The IRS paid refunds on approximately three (3) of those claims, and deposited approximately $19,492.80, into SOLOMON’s bank accounts.
DAVIS received a sentence of fifteen (15) months imprisonment, to be followed by three (3) years supervised release. DAVIS was ordered by the Court to pay restitution in the amount of $38,123.00.
SOLOMON was sentenced to twenty-four (24) months imprisonment, to be followed by three (3) years supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $19,492.80.
On September 24, 2007, WARD, pled guilty to one (1) 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 was sentenced on December 18, 2007, to seventy-eight (78) months imprisonment, to be followed by three (3) years supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $83, 456.80.
The charges against DAVIS, SOLOMON and 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. There is no parole in the Federal system.
Any questions concerning this matter should be addressed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office, at 478-621-2602.
