Lawrence County Man Indicted For False Tax Returns

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Harold J. “Bucky” Shafer, 66, of Pedro, Ohio with ten counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns and two counts of filing false income tax returns.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington DC Field Office (IRS) announced the indictment returned March 6.

The indictment alleges that Shafer prepared returns for customers of his tax preparation service that falsely represented that the taxpayers were entitled to claim expenses and deductions he knew they were not entitled to claim.  The indictment also alleges that Shafer filed fraudulent tax returns on his own behalf for two tax years reporting that his business earned income of $426 one year and $1,101 the following year, knowing that he earned more than he reported.

Each count of the indictment is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Shafer will appear in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati for an initial hearing on March 14, 2013. 

Assistant United States Attorney Deborah Grimes is representing the United States in this case. 

U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the agents of IRS Criminal Investigation in Charleston, West Virginia, which is part of the Washington, D.C. Field Office, who conducted the investigation.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.