David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, and Gregg Rutter, Special Agent In Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Atlanta Field Division, announce that MICHAEL SAPP, 44, of Douglasville, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to charges of unauthorized disclosure of taxpayer information. According to David E. Nahmias and the documents and information presented in court:

The indictment charges that between February and May 2000, SAPP, assigned to the Adjustment Branch and Customer Service Division of the IRS, misused his position to provide dependent identity information to his associates who then used this information to prepare fraudulent tax returns. SAPP’s access to taxpayer accounts was through his unauthorized use of the Service’s Integrated Data Retrieval System, which maintains a record of all individual and business tax returns.

SAPP could receive a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 on each count. Sentencing is scheduled for August 16, 2005, at 10:30 a.m., before United States District Judge Julie E. Carnes.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

Assistant United States Attorney Barbara E. Nelan is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney or Charysse Alexander, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.