Former Stockton Resident Pleads Guilty in Phony Tax Return Scheme

FRESNO, Calif. — Darrell Lemont Morris, 46, formerly of Stockton, and currently a resident of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to submit false claims, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between January 2010 and March 2011, Morris conspired with co-defendant Vivian Marie Williams, of Stockton, to defraud the United States by filing false and fraudulent tax returns. Williams prepared tax returns out of her home in Stockton for legitimate clients, but most of the tax returns she prepared were in the names of victims of identity theft. These individuals did not know Williams, did not authorize her to file a tax return on their behalf, and did not receive the refund. Morris allowed Williams to use his bank accounts to deposit the tax refunds and then shared in the proceeds with her. During the scheme, Morris admitted he submitted false claims to the IRS for at least $25,945.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McKeon is prosecuting the case.

Co-defendant Williams was sentenced on October 17, 2016, to four months and 25 days in custody and ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

Morris is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on January 8, 2018. Morris faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.