RENO - - Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, and Byram Tichenor, Special Agent-in-Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation for Nevada and Utah, announce that SAL A. KNUTSON, age 33, a resident of Reno, Nevada, has been charged by a federal Grand Jury in Reno with aiding and preparing fraudulent federal individual income tax returns for eight individuals for the tax years 1996 through 1999.

The Indictment, returned on March 19, 2003, charges the defendant with 21 counts of Fraudulent Tax Returns, violations of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2). The Indictment alleges that SAL A. KNUTSON aided individuals in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns which stated that they were entitled to a "head of household" filing status; entitled to claim a "qualifying child"; and entitled to claim an earned income tax credit and child tax credit, when KNUTSON knew that they were not entitled to such claims and deductions.

If convicted, the defendant is facing up to three years in prison on each count and fines of up to $250,000 on each count. The actual sentence, however, will be dictated by the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of factors and will be imposed at the discretion of the Court.

The case was investigated by Special Agents with IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Rachow.

The public is reminded that an Indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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