Paving Boss Gets 24 Months for Tax Dodge

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Nicholas Stanley, 44, of Dalton, Pennsylvania, is trading asphalt for iron bars. The owner and operator of Nick Stanley Paving, Inc. was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison today, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, after being convicted of deliberately dodging his tax obligations.

U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion handed down the sentence, a clear message that the federal government isn’t letting anyone – not even small business owners – stiff Uncle Sam. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Stanley didn’t just *forget* to pay his taxes; he actively took steps to evade them.

The bill came due. Stanley owed a staggering $1,062,312.10 in income taxes for the years 2005 through 2011. That’s over a million dollars in revenue that should have been funding vital public services, instead lining Stanley’s pockets. The court isn’t letting him off easy, ordering him to pay $972,091 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

Investigators with the IRS Criminal Investigations Division spent considerable time unraveling Stanley’s financial maneuvers, piecing together evidence of deliberate tax evasion. The case highlights the IRS’s commitment to pursuing even seemingly “small-time” offenders who attempt to defraud the system. It’s a reminder that hiding income and avoiding taxes carries serious consequences.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin skillfully prosecuted the case, building a solid argument that proved Stanley’s intent. The sentence should serve as a deterrent to others considering similar schemes. While Stanley built a business laying foundations, he ultimately undermined his own by building a case against himself.

Stanley will now have plenty of time to reflect on his choices, and the IRS will be diligently working to recover the funds he illegally withheld. This case sends a strong signal: tax evasion isn’t a victimless crime, and those who engage in it will be held accountable.