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Press Release

Utica Tax Preparer Sentenced For Preparing False Tax Returns

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

RICHARD S. HARTUNIAN, United States Attorney, Northern District of New York announces that JAMES BUTCHER (58, of Little Falls, NY), an accountant engaged in the business of preparing tax returns, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, as well as 1 year supervised release and restitution to the IRS in the amount of $79,771.00 for his felony conviction for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).

During the plea hearing on April 2, 2014, before the Honorable David N. Hurd in Utica, NY, BUTCHER admitted the following: That he was the owner and operator of a tax preparation business named Jim’s Income Tax Service, which he operated out of his residence located in Little Falls, New York. From 2007 through 2010, he prepared forty false Form 1040 returns for fourteen of his clients. All forty of the 1040 forms contained false or inflated “Schedule A” deductions. Specifically, they all contained false or inflated charitable deductions and some also included false or inflated unreimbursed employee expenses. In preparing these forty returns, the defendant created and falsified expenses and deductions relating to charitable contributions and job expenses. He further admitted that he inflated deductions without being directed to do so by his clients. The total tax loss resulting from the forty false and fraudulent returns for tax years 2007-2010 is $140,446.00.

This prosecution resulted from an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, Syracuse, New York. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ransom P. Reynolds. Further questions may be directed to Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan at (315-448-0672).

Updated January 29, 2015