MONTGOMERY, AL – Three Montgomery residents are facing serious time after admitting their roles in a sophisticated scheme to steal identities and file fraudulent tax returns, netting them illicit refunds from the Internal Revenue Service. Cruz Castillo Burnett, Jacorey Giddens, and Rodrickus Howard each pleaded guilty this past week to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The trio were originally indicted on May 1, 2014, following an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation. Court documents reveal a calculated operation spanning from March 2011 to April 2013. The defendants systematically acquired the personal identifying information – names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth – of unsuspecting individuals, all without their knowledge or consent. This stolen data formed the foundation of their illegal enterprise.
Over a two-year period, Burnett, Giddens, and Howard allegedly filed over 500 false tax returns, each claiming fraudulent refunds. The ill-gotten gains were then diverted through various channels: U.S. Treasury checks, direct deposits into compromised bank accounts, and even direct deposits onto prepaid debit cards registered under the names of the identity theft victims. The scale of the operation points to a brazen disregard for the law and a callous exploitation of innocent citizens.
Each of the defendants now faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. But that’s not all. Due to the aggravated identity theft count, each man is also subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutively with any sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge. This means a minimum of 12 years behind bars for each of them.
The prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorneys Greg Bailey and Michael Boteler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Brown for the Middle District of Alabama. This case underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to cracking down on tax fraud and protecting American citizens from identity theft. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ronald A. Cimino and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. announced the guilty pleas.
For more information on the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/tax. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as sentencing dates are announced.
PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: usaalm.press@usdoj.gov
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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