Queensbury Contractor Jason Holcomb Jailed for Tax Evasion

Jason Holcomb, 46, of Queensbury, New York, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to four months for a years-long scheme to evade income taxes while operating as a construction contractor. The sentence, handed down yesterday in Albany, marks the end of a federal crackdown on Holcomb’s deliberate attempt to disappear his earnings from the IRS.

U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Shantelle P. Kitchen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s New York Field Office, confirmed the conviction. Holcomb admitted to structuring his finances through third parties—transferring assets into the names of others and conducting large cash transactions—to conceal over $193,215 in taxable income.

U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino ordered Holcomb to serve two years of supervised release following his prison term. As part of that release, he will spend weekends in jail for six months—a rare and strict condition signaling the court’s zero tolerance for financial deceit.

The financial toll of Holcomb’s actions extends beyond the taxes he dodged. The court ordered him to pay $538,948.31 in restitution to the IRS, which includes more than $345,000 in accumulated interest and penalties stemming from his evasion.

Holcomb’s guilty plea detailed a calculated effort to live off the underground economy. By funneling payments through associates and avoiding paper trails, he believed he could outmaneuver federal tax laws. But IRS-Criminal Investigation traced his hidden cash flows and asset transfers, building a case that left no room for denial.

The investigation was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigation New York Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman. The case stands as a stark warning to contractors and self-employed individuals who think they can operate outside the tax system—eventually, the numbers catch up.