ROCKFORD —(ENEWSPF)–November 5, 2015. A Rockford, Ill. woman was arrested yesterday on federal charges of making false claims for federal tax refunds and using other persons’ identification in connection with the fraudulent claims for tax refunds. CRYSTAL S. JACKSON, 27, of Rockford, was charged by a federal indictment on Oct. 20, 2015. The indictment charged her with 45 counts of filing fraudulent claims for federal tax refunds, and three counts of illegally possessing and using other persons’ identification in connection with making fraudulent claims for federal tax refunds.
The indictment alleges that between Aug. 1, 2011 and Feb. 5, 2013, Jackson prepared and filed, both electronically and by mail, 45 federal individual income tax returns in the names of other individuals without their permission, causing fraudulent claims for refunds to be made against the United States Treasury. The 45 false returns were filed with the IRS for tax years 2010, 2011, and 2012, and requested refunds totaling $189,237. Some of the 2010 and 2011 fraudulent tax returns listed the address of a relative of Jackson as the taxpayers’ address, and requested debit cards containing the tax refunds be mailed to that address.
Each count of filing a fraudulent claim for a federal income tax refund carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison. Each count of possessing another person’s identification in connection with making a fraudulent claim for a federal income tax refund carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, or up to 15 years in prison if the charge involves obtaining anything of value totaling $1,000 or more during any one year period. In addition each count charged carries a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from that offense, whichever is greater, and full restitution. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. Jackson will appear for a detention hearing at 3:00 p.m. today in Federal Court in Rockford, before U.S. Magistrate Iain D. Johnston.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The arrest was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Stephen Boyd, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.
Related Material:
Source: www.justice.gov
