WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on August 3, 2021, Joseph Rinker, age 51, of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information with one-count of filing false tax returns.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the information alleges that Rinker, a co-owner of Harvest Moon restaurant, convenience store, and gas station in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. failed to report income in years 2014 through 2017 after embezzling over $300,000 in funds from the Harvest Moon. The total estimated tax loss is $64,250.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense charged is three years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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