Lithonia Man Sentenced for Stolen Tax Payments
Shepherd Stole Dozens of Tax Payments From
a Facility That Processes IRS Tax Payments
ATLANTA, GA - JASON SHEPHERD, 25, of Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced to prison today by Senior United States District Judge Orinda D. Evans on a charge of mail fraud related to a scheme to steal tax payments.
“This defendant was entrusted to process payments sent by taxpayers to pay their taxes, but instead, he stole dozens of money order payments and used the money to enrich himself,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “This defendant’s crimes not only caused the government to lose tax revenue, it also hurt the innocent taxpayers whose payments were stolen.”
“Thefts of payments processed through lockboxes can harm both the IRS and taxpayers,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, whose office oversees the IRS. “This sentencing shows that such thefts and all attempts to violate the integrity of Federal tax administration will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
SHEPHERD was sentenced to 2 years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $24,958 in restitution to the IRS. There is no parole in the federal system. SHEPHERD pleaded guilty to the charge on October 12, 2011.
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: SHEPHERD worked as a contractor with Bank of America at a Tucker, Georgia Bank of America facility processing tax payments. From approximately June 2009 until November 2009, SHEPHERD stole approximately 50 money orders from the facility that had been sent to the IRS by taxpayers to pay those taxpayers’ outstanding tax liabilities. The money orders totaled approximately $25,000. SHEPHERD altered the money orders and generally deposited them into prepaid debit card accounts under his control. In at least once instance, SHEPHERD altered a money order and negotiated it at a local Post Office.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Assistant United States Attorney Nick Oldham prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact Sally Q. Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, 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.justice.gov/usao/gan.
