Kevin Troy Jernigan, Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty, Texas 2023

DALLAS

Kevin Troy Jernigan, the owner of a tax preparation business located in Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding or assisting in the preparation or presentation of a false or fraudulent individual income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Jernigan, who faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, was taken into custody following multiple violations of his pretrial release. Sentencing will be set at a later date.

According to the factual resume filed in the case, since 2007, Jernigan was the owner and a return preparer at The Parks 11 located in Dallas, Texas. During tax years 2007 through 2012, Jernigan prepared and filed more than 1,300 tax returns that contained false and inflated deductions and credits which were intended to produce a fraudulently inflated refund to be paid by the IRS.

The fraudulently income tax returns caused a tax loss of approximately $2,250,780 to the United States Treasury. The factual resume further states that in January 2010, Jernigan prepared and filed with the IRS a 2009 tax return on behalf of taxpayer, ‘CJ.’ In preparing and electronically filing that tax return, Jernigan included $27,019 as a Schedule C business loss. Jernigan knew CJ had not incurred the business loss reflected.

As a result of the false deduction inserted by Jernigan, the refund was fraudulently inflated to $5,819 and resulted in a tax loss in the amount of $6,432. The IRS is investigating the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Stokes in charge of the prosecution.

Jernigan’s actions have caused significant financial harm to the United States Treasury, highlighting the importance of ensuring the integrity of our tax system. This case serves as a reminder that those who engage in tax fraud will be held accountable for their actions.

The case is a testament to the dedication and expertise of IRS Criminal Investigation and the Northern District of Texas’s U.S. Attorney’s Office in pursuing justice and protecting the public interest.

Related Federal Cases