Two Public Employees Indicted For Tax Evasion

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that TROY HESTER, 42, of Hartford, and AJMAL JENKINS, 39, of Middletown, have been indicted for tax evasion.  HESTER is employed by the Metropolitan District Commission and JENKINS is employed by the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and works at the Connecticut Valley Hospital.

This matter stems from an Internal Revenue Service investigation into State of Connecticut employees and others who had little or no federal withholding taken out of their paychecks and who failed to file income tax returns.  The investigation revealed that certain individuals submitted fraudulent W-4 forms claiming numerous exemptions, or that they were exempt, and had no money withheld from their wages.

The six-count indictment against HESTER alleges that, during the 2008 through 2013 tax years, he paid little or no federal income taxes on approximately $438,877 in income he received, resulting in a federal tax loss of approximately $70,480.

The four-count indictment against JENKINS alleges that, during the 2009 through 2012 tax years, he paid no federal income taxes on approximately $256,081 in income he received, resulting in a federal tax loss of approximately $46,265.

The indictments were returned by a federal grand jury in New Haven on March 4.  HESTER and JENKINS are scheduled to be arraigned later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport.

U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Wines.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov