Tobyhanna Man Pleads Guilty To Preparing And Filing False Tax Returns

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 17, Brandon Hill, age 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Edwin M. Kosik to preparing and filing false tax returns.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Hill was responsible for the preparation of approximately 60 false returns in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.  Hill prepared false returns for himself as well as others.  The total amount of refunds which Hill was responsible for falsely claiming was $291,103.

     Hill was charged in September 2013.

     The case was investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lorna N. Graham.

         A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

     In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is -five years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.