NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

JUNE 3, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NIXA MAN SENTENCED FOR FAILURE TO FILE

FEDERAL TAX RETURNS

MORTGAGE BROKER OWES MORE THAN $450,000 TO IRS

            SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Nixa, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his failure to file federal tax returns for three years.

            Terry Edward Elliott, 54, of Nixa, was sentenced by U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge James C. England this morning to 21 months in federal prison without parole.

            On Dec. 22, 2008, Elliott pleaded guilty to three counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns. Elliott, who has not filed a timely return since 1993, owes approximately $457,400 to the Internal Revenue Service (that amount includes penalties but not interest, which accrues until the taxes are paid).

            Elliott owned and operated TE Mortgage Corporation, which was organized as an S corporation, and was also employed by a software company and a title company. For each of the years 2001 through 2006, Elliott failed to file income tax returns at the time he was required to do so. In October 2004, after being notified of a civil audit for 2000 and 2001, he filed those returns. Elliott’s 2002 through 2006 returns, all of which were delinquent, were filed only after he was informed in December 2007 of the criminal investigation.

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html