(Brownsville, TX) United States Attorney Michael Shelby announced the return of a 40 count indictment late yesterday in Brownsville charging brothers, Gustavo and Francisco Ledesma, with conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and 39 counts of assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns.

According to the allegations in the indictment, during 1997 through 1999, Gustavo and Francisco Ledesma operated Ledesma Fast Filing, an income tax return preparation service in Raymondville, Texas. The Ledesma brothers are accused in the indictment of assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns for their clients and electronically filing the false tax returns with the I.R.S. According to allegations in the indictment, in many instances, the Ledesma's kept a portion of their clients' tax refund without their clients' knowledge or consent.

If convicted of the conspiracy, Gustavo and Francisco Ledesma each face a maximum punishment of five years in prison. A conviction for any one of the 39 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

The case was investigated by special agents of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney David Peck.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.