Former County Commissioner's Son, Brian Atkinson-turner, and Wife Charged with Felony Tax Offenses
Las Vegas, Nev. – Brian P. Atkinson-Turner, the son of former Clark County Commissioner, Yvonne Atkinson Gates, and his wife, Kathryn O'Gara, were arrested this morning on a federal indictment charging them with filing false income tax returns and failing to file income tax returns, announced Gregory A. Brower, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Atkinson-Turner and O'Gara are each charged with one count of Subscribing to a False Tax Return and two counts of Willful Failure to File a Corporate Income Tax Return. They are scheduled to appear before a United States Magistrate Judge at 3:00 p.m. today for an initial appearance and arraignment.
The Indictment alleges that Atkinson-Turner and O'Gara controlled "Ad Vibe," a Nevada corporation and business that provided advertising services for political campaigns and non-profit organizations in Nevada. In tax years 2004 and 2005, Ad Vibe received at least $230,000 and $80,000, respectively, in gross receipts and sales. On about March 15, 2005, and March 15, 2006, Atkinson-Turner and O'Gara failed to file a corporate income tax return for Ad Vibe.
During tax year 2004, Atkinson-Turner and O'Gara were employed by the political campaign, "Friends for Yvonne Atkinson Gates," and earned income of approximately $79,000 and $90,000, respectively. Atkinson-Turner and O'Gara allegedly failed to report this income to the IRS. Specifically, when Atkinson-Turner and O'Gara filed their joint individual income tax return for the calendar year 2004, they reported total income of $12,523 and Earned Income Credit of $2,604, when they knew they had received more income than that and were not entitled to the earned income credit.
If convicted, the defendants face up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the false tax return charge, and up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine on each willful failure to file charge.
The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Dickinson.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
