Prison Inmate Kenneth Door Pleads Guilty to Tax Scam & Arms Charges

Former Washington State Prison inmate Kenneth Randle Door, 44, has pleaded guilty to a sordid tax fraud scheme and illegal weapons possession charges, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.

The October 1, 2013 plea deal comes after Door was indicted on eleven counts of tax fraud and three counts of illegal possession of firearms, explosives, and a ballistic vest in April 2012. Door, already in custody for the weapons charges, was also charged with leading a conspiracy to file fake tax returns.

According to the indictment, Door and his co-conspirators, who were living in Tacoma and Puyallup, targeted companies that had recently declared bankruptcy. They used the internet to identify these firms and created fraudulent W-2 forms to claim refunds for prison inmates, many of whom were not employed by these defunct companies. The scheme netted nearly $72,000.

Door’s co-conspirators have been sentenced to terms ranging from eight months to 33 months in prison. Door faces sentencing on the tax charges before U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle on December 16, 2013, and for the illegal weapons possession charges on December 12, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton.

Prosecutors argue that Door is an Armed Career Criminal, advocating for a sentence at or above the mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. The tax case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), while the weapons case was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Masada and Norman Barbosa are prosecuting these cases.

Door’s conviction is a stark reminder of criminal activity that can occur within the confines of correctional facilities, where inmates manipulate systems for their own gain. The community awaits justice for Door’s actions, which have caused significant financial loss and undermined trust in the legal system.

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