MONROE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX CHARGE

Shreveport, Louisiana . . . DAVID L. ALLEN, age 49, of Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to one count of filing false claims with the Internal Revenue Service, United States Attorney Bill Flanagan announced today. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 10, 2001.

ALLEN was indicted in March 1999 and charged with making false claims against the United States. ALLEN had been a fugitive until his recent arrest in July. Testimony by IRS Special Agent Jimmy Sandefur at today's hearing established that ALLEN knowingly made and presented to the United States IRS tax returns in ALLEN's name and the name of various individuals claiming income tax refunds. Each claim was false in that the named individual did not authorize that the return be filed, did not sign the return, did not earn the income reported, nor was any tax withheld. Returns filed in ALLEN's name were false in that they reflected income and withholdings which were not attributable to him. The false claims were made throughout 1994 and 1995. The total amount of false refunds claimed was approximately $22,346.

ALLEN faces a maximum penalty of not more than five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Sentencing in federal court is governed by the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

This investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service.

For further information, please contact United States Attorney Bill Flanagan or Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley at 337-262-6680.

This and other press releases issued by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana can be found at our website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/law.

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