Jackson Tax Evasion Defense Lawyers
An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent at your door, a grand jury subpoena or a civil audit referred for criminal review can mean one thing: The government may be building a criminal case. Tax evasion under 26 U.S.C. § 7201 is a federal felony carrying up to five years in prison. Criminal defense is the exclusive practice area for the attorneys of Sumrall & Welch, PLLC. We strive to defend you in court and protect your rights.
What To Do When IRS Special Agents Visit
IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are federal officers, not auditors. Business owners and executives can decline their interview, and anything said may support an indictment. An IRS Criminal Investigation lawyer can handle contact with agents, and an IRS target letter defense attorney can present your side before charges are filed.
Attorney Thomas P. Welch Jr. previously served as an attorney for a state law enforcement agency. He knows how government investigators gather evidence and build a case, and that perspective helps when an IRS investigation is underway.
Penalties For Filing A False Tax Return Under Section 7206
Under 26 U.S.C. § 7206, it’s a felony to sign a return you know is materially false. A False Tax Return defense attorney first identifies what the government claims you misstated, often involving:
- Underreported income: Leaving cash receipts or side income off a return
- Inflated deductions: Claiming personal spending as business costs
- Double books: Keeping separate records for the business and IRS
- False signatures: Signing a return under penalty of perjury knowing it is wrong
Penalties for filing a false tax return include up to three years in prison per count. A federal tax fraud lawyer can challenge whether any misstatement was willful.
Can You Go To Prison For Not Paying Taxes?
Yes, if the failure is willful. Under 26 U.S.C. § 7203, willfully failing to file or pay is a misdemeanor carrying up to one year in prison for each year charged. Being unable to pay is not a crime. Late returns can become evidence, so have a criminal lawyer for not filing taxes review them first.
A defense attorney tests whether prosecutors can prove willfulness. Tax charges are one of many federal crimes our attorneys defend.
Get A Defense Plan Before Federal Charges Are Filed
Most federal criminal tax charges must be brought within six years, and the preindictment period offers the most room to respond. Our attorneys defend tax evasion cases in Jackson and throughout Hinds County. Call us at 601-533-5551 or send us a message online to schedule a free initial consultation with a lawyer.