Alabama Couple Charged with Tax Evasion and Conspiracy

WASHINGTON – A superseding indictment was unsealed against Patricia Ervin and Monty Ervin of Dothan, Ala., charging them with three counts of tax evasion and one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Patricia Ervin also remains charged with structuring cash deposits to evade laws requiring banks to report currency transactions in excess of $10,000.

The indictment was announced by Leura G. Canary, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, and John A. DiCicco, Principal Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division.

According to the indictment, Monty Ervin and Patricia Ervin owned and managed Southern Realty, a property management company in Dothan. As alleged in the indictment, they placed properties in the names of nominees in an attempt to conceal their income and assets from the IRS.

An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Patricia Ervin faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1.25 million. If convicted, Monty Ervin faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.

This case was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorneys Justin Gelfand and Michael Boteler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Woodall.