Tax Preparer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for False Federal Tax Returns

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma –  RICKY COSTELLO WILLIAMS, of Lawton, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $240,361 in restitution for tax fraud, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.  

For a number of years, Williams prepared tax returns for others under the business name W&B Financial.  A criminal investigation by the IRS determined that in 2010 and 2011, he knowingly prepared returns with fraudulent deductions and falsified credits in order to illegally obtain refunds from the Internal Revenue Service.  Williams had previously been convicted of preparing false tax returns in North Carolina and South Carolina.

On February 18, 2016, Williams pled guilty to assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent federal tax return.  He has been in federal custody since May 26, 2016, based on a violation of his conditions of release.  Yesterday, United States District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange sentenced Williams to 30 months in federal prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. 

This sentence is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kerry A. Kelly with the assistance of IRS Agent Loy Smith.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.