Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Defendant Filed No Returns Despite Earning More than $378,000

A former Arkansas resident was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for evading his federal income taxes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Joshua Wood, formerly of Alma, instructed his employer not to withhold income taxes from his paycheck and then did not file tax returns with the IRS from 2014 through 2016. During those years, Wood earned more than $378,000 selling recreational vehicles and automobiles. When questioned by IRS investigators, Wood falsely claimed to have been shot down and wounded on a Navy mission, causing him to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. He also falsely stated that a CPA had prepared tax returns on his behalf.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III ordered Wood to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $99,000 in restitution.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Robert Kemins and Nicholas Schilling of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.