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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday - September 14, 2004

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Frank D. Whitney announced that SHIRLEY A. McDONALD and JACQUELINE DAILY were sentenced in federal court in Wilmington on September 8, 2004, for conspiracy and income tax violations. Senior U. S. District Judge James C. Fox sentenced McDONALD to 37 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Also, he ordered McDONALD to pay restitution in the amount of $9,688.00 to the Internal Revenue Service and a $100.00 special assessment. DAILY received a sentence of five years probation and was ordered to pay $9,599.00 in restitution to the IRS and a $700.00 special assessment.

McDONALD and DAILY, both of Wilmington, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Wilmington on February 25, 2004, and pled guilty on April 26, 2004. McDONALD and DAILY pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing false federal income tax returns. Also, DAILY pled guilty to six counts of filing false federal income tax returns.

According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, the defendants filed and aided and abetted others in the filing of false claims for income tax refunds--on behalf of themselves and other individuals. The claims for tax refunds were false, fictitious, and fraudulent, and the claimants were not entitled to the refunds for which they filed.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U. S. Attorney Eric D. Goulian prosecuted the case for the United States.