Parkersburg man pleads guilty to tax evasion

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ralph E. Richards, Jr., 46, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, was convicted for withholding $216,693.00 worth of income from his tax return, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, announced.

He pled guilty to one count of “Filing False Income Tax Return.” He faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danaë DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.