Elkins business owner sentenced for tax fraud

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Rocky A. Tingler, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced today to six months incarceration for tax fraud, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Tingler, age 54, owner of McWilliams Building & Construction in Elkins, pled guilty to one count of “False Statement on Personal Tax Return” and one count of “Failure to Pay Over Employment Taxes” in July 2019. Tingler admitted to understating the gross receipts or sales on his 2015 individual tax return by more than $988,000. He also admitted to collecting $790 in federal income tax from his employees at the construction business when the amount should have been $25,706 during the third quarter of 2014.

As a part of the plea agreement, Tingler stipulated to between $250,000-$550,000 in criminal tax loss. Tingler agreed to repay his tax liability to the IRS.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated.

U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.