A. COURTNEY COX, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

Nine Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, Illinois 62208, Telephone (618) 628-3700

For Immediate Release September 24, 2009

CAHOKIA MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR E-FILING PHONY TAX RETURNS AND FOR POSSESSING AMMUNITION AS A PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED FELON

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 18, 2009, KEITH L. EDWARDS, 30, of Cahokia, Illinois, was sentenced based upon his plea of guilty to a ten count indictment charging him with seven counts of Making False or Fraudulent Claims against the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287, one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A, Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and Possession of Ammunition by a Felon, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The violations took place between January 27, 2006, and January, 2008, in the Southern District of Illinois and elsewhere. KEITH L. EDWARDS was sentenced to a total of one hundred and two months imprisonment including sixty months imprisonment on counts one through seven, seventy eight months on counts nine and ten, all to run concurrently, and a term of twenty four months on count eight, to run consecutively to the other counts. Additionally KEITH L. EDWARDS was sentenced to three years of supervised release on counts one through seven and counts nine and ten, and a term of one year on count eight with the sentences to run concurrently. KEITH L. EDWARDS has also been ordered to pay in excess of $331,000.00 in restitution.

The convictions are the result of KEITH L. EDWARDS conduct wherein he engaged in a fraudulent scheme in which he electronically filed multiple form 1040 or 1040EZ Federal Income Tax Returns which purported to be genuine United States Federal Income Tax Returns. Tax returns filed through the Internet are referred to as "e-filed." Each tax return lists a person's name and their social security number without their permission. KEITH L. EDWARDS also prepared fictitious "W-2" forms reflecting a name and social security number other than his own and without that person's permission. KEITH L. EDWARDS e-filed one hundred and sixteen false tax returns on behalf of real people who did not authorize KEITH L. EDWARDS to file a return on their behalf. Through these fraudulent returns, KEITH L. EDWARDS attempted to obtain $1,041,226 of unauthorized tax refunds.

Information for the indictment was obtained in an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Hudson.