SALT LAKE CITY – A five-count federal indictment unsealed Wednesday afternoon charges Randy Merrill Huffaker and Tari A. Huffaker of Taylorsville with impeding the IRS and filing false liens or encumbrances against government officials.

The indictment was returned Feb. 22, 2012, and warrants issued for their arrest. The Huffakers were taken into custody Tuesday night in Taylorsville by special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

The Huffakers had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells Wednesday afternoon. A detention hearing is set for Friday at noon in Magistrate Judge Wells’ courtroom.

According to the indictment, the Huffakers have not filed federal income tax returns with the IRS for many years. Randy Huffaker has not filed a return since 1998 and Tara Huffaker has not filed a return since 1995. Both have been involved in proceedings and hearings involving their tax assessments, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that starting in late December 2010 and continuing through September 2011, the Huffakers attempted to obstruct the administration of internal revenue laws by, among other things, filing and attempting to file various frivolous documents with county clerk officers that were adversely directed toward high ranking officials within the U.S.

Department of Treasury and mailing demands for money to the private residence of a high ranking official within the Treasury Department. For example, the indictment alleges that on Dec. 29, 2010, the
Huffakers filed a document with the Salt Lake County Recorder that purported to appoint the IRS Commissioner and the Comptroller by their individual names as the Huffakers’ trustees. On May 31, 2011, Tara Huffaker filed a false lien against the IRS Commissioner and the Comptroller in the amount of $949,471 at the Salt Lake County Recorder’s Office.

Randy and Tara Huffaker mailed multiple “Demand for Payment” documents to the private residence of the IRS Commissioner during 2011 demanding payments of $949,471 and $984,661.

The indictment also alleges the Huffakers filed liens and encumbrances against the real and personal property of officers and employees of the United States falsely claiming each officer or employee
owed them money.

Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.

The potential maximum penalty for impeding internal revenue laws is up to three years in prison. Filing false liens or encumbrances against government officials carries a potential penalty of 10 years per count. Each count in the indictment has a potential $250,000 fine.