Snyder Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud

BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that John J. Barden, III, 55, of Snyder, N.Y., who was convicted of failing to pay employment taxes, was sentenced to time-served with three months of home detention and two years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Court Judge William M. Skretny. Barden was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $75,568.74 to the Internal Revenue Service.
 
            Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward H. White, who handled the case, stated that for the years 2005 through 2009, Barden falsely classified the wages of his employees at Double Down Transport, Inc. as payments for per diem, fuel advances, and reimbursements for tolls, permits, repairs, and maintenance. As a result, the defendant avoided paying a total of $75,568.74 in employment taxes.  

            The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-In-Charge, Toni M. Weirauch.