LAS VEGAS - - 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 PAUL M. VANCE, age 49, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been charged by a federal Grand Jury in Las Vegas with aiding or assisting in the preparation of fraudulent federal individual income tax returns.

The Indictment, returned on April 1, 2003, charges PAUL M. VANCE with 23 counts of Aiding or Assisting in the Preparation of False Income Tax Returns, violations of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2). The Indictment alleges that VANCE operated a tax return preparation business in Las Vegas named "Advanced Accounting Systems," and that he assisted individuals in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns which stated they were entitled to a "head of household" filing status, and entitled to claim earned income tax credits and dependent and child tax credits when they were not entitled to such claims and deductions. The Indictment alleges that the defendant aided in the preparation of 23 false tax returns for 14 individuals for the tax years 1996 through 1998, and that the falsely claimed items totaled over $45,000.

If convicted, the defendant is facing up to three years in prison 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 Crane M. Pomerantz.

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

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