HOUSTON – A local man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of preparing and filing false income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Mario Clark pleaded guilty Jan. 13.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller sentenced Clark to 25 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Clark’s criminal history, which included convictions for murder, battery and aggravated robbery. Judge Miller further ordered Clark to pay $203,336 in restitution to the IRS.
At the time of his plea, Clark admitted that he prepared fraudulent tax returns for clients under a business known as Precision Tax Group. The false income tax returns he prepared for himself and others caused a total loss $203,336 in tax revenue from the IRS.
In both tax returns prepared for himself and others, Clark made false claims for business income loss, unreimbursed employee expenses, itemized deductions, and gifts by cash or check.
IRS-Criminal Information conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Escher and Adam L. Goldman prosecuted the case.