Craig S. Morford
United States Attorney
William M. Cohen
Assistant U.S. Attorney
(615) 736-5151
MIDDLE TENNESSEE MAN INDICTED ON TAX EVASION CHARGES
Nashville, TN – April 26, 2007 – Craig S. Morford, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, announced that Robert M. MacLafferty, a former resident of Portland, Tennessee, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Nashville, Tennessee on five counts of income tax evasion. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The indictment was returned by the grand jury on April 11, 2007. MacLafferty was arrested in South Carolina and had his initial appearance on April 24, 2007. MacLafferty was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond pending his trial in Nashville.
According to the indictment, MacLafferty failed to file federal income tax returns for calendar years 2000 through 2003. During these years, MacLafferty had taxable income totaling over $190,000 and owed more than a total of $22,000 in income tax on that income. MacLafferty is alleged to have filed a false W-4 Form claiming total exemption from federal tax withholding, and claimed that he was not a citizen of the United States of America.
Additionally, the indictment charges that from about May 1999 until about September 2006, MacLafferty attempted to evade the payment of $39,394.00 in income taxes owed by him for 1996 and 1997. The indictment states that MacLafferty concealed the nature and extent of his assets and location thereof, filed a false W-4 Form claiming total exemption from federal tax withholding, claimed that he was not a citizen of the United States of America, quitclaimed his ownership of real property to his wife and terminated his employment to avoid having money withheld from his paycheck to pay the income tax due and owed by him to the United States.
This investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Cohen will represent the government.
Note: An indictment is a form of accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.