FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 7, 2002

Kesha Handy               
P. O. Box 61129 Houston, TX 77208
Phone: 713/567-9335 Fax: 713/718-3390
E-Mail: usatty.txs@usdoj.gov

FORMER BOOKMAKER EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX EVASION
Albert Balboni, Assistant United States Attorney
Phone: 713-567-9726

(Houston) United States Attorney Michael T. Shelby announced today that Roger David Guinn, a former bookmaker employee, pled guilty to three counts of tax evasion. During his plea of guilty, Guinn, age 41 admitted he had worked for a bookmaking operation as a phone man from 1995 through 1997. He further admitted that his job was to receive calls from individuals wanting to wager on sporting events and to record those wagers for the bookmaking organization. According to the plea, Guinn was paid a flat rate plus commissions based on the results of the bettors who placed their wagers through him. Guinn worked for the organization year-round and was paid in cash. Guinn admitted he was paid $46,361.00, $65,107.00, and $43,000.00 by the organization for the years 1995, 1996, and 1997 and that he failed to report $30,833.00 and $48,850.00 of that income on his 1995 and 1996 federal income tax returns. Guinn did not report any of the income he received from the bookmaking organization in 1997 since he failed to file a 1997 return. Guinn admitted that he intentionally did not deposit a substantial portion of this cash income into his bank account. Over the three years, Guinn failed to report approximately $122,683.00 in bookmaking income and thereby evaded income and self-employment taxes totaling approximately $35,710.00.

Guinn faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment, without parole, a fine of $250,000, and a three-year term of supervised release on each count.

This case was investigated by the Houston office of Criminal Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Albert Balboni.

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