William B. Clayton, Tax Obstruction, North Carolina 2013

Former NC Builder Pleads Guilty to Tax Obstruction

A former North Carolina builder has pleaded guilty to corruptly obstructing and impeding the due administration of the tax laws, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

William B. Clayton, a residential builder formerly of Corolla, N.C., pleaded guilty to corruptly obstructing and impeding the due administration of the tax laws on no date provided before Judge Terrence W. Boyle to corruptly obstructing and impeding the due administration of the tax laws.

According to the indictment, Clayton failed to file federal income tax returns over a six-year period, resulting in the assessment of taxes and penalties and the initiation of IRS collection proceedings. Between May 2007 and August 2010, Clayton took steps to obstruct the IRS’s efforts to collect his unpaid tax liabilities, such as concealing property from the IRS and destroying a former property in Corolla that had been acquired by the government.

According to court records, in an effort to pay down Clayton’s tax liabilities, the IRS scheduled a public auction of Clayton’s former property. In the days leading up to the auction, Clayton committed, or caused the commission of, various acts of destruction and demolition at the Corolla property, including destroying an outdoor pool deck and pool house, forcibly removing a guest house from the property and transporting it to a non-consenting neighbor’s property, and forcibly removing cabinets, counter tops, a kitchen island, sinks, toilets, and light fixtures.

Clayton’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 28, 2013. Clayton faces a maximum potential penalty of three years’ imprisonment, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The investigation of this case was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Adam Hulbig of the Justice Division’s Tax Division.

Clayton, a former residential builder in Corolla, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to corruptly obstructing and impeding the due administration of the tax laws in a move that could result in up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Clayton’s actions were designed to evade paying his tax liabilities, which were assessed over a six-year period, and included concealing property from the IRS and destroying a former property in Corolla that had been acquired by the government.

The case highlights the importance of tax compliance and the consequences of attempting to evade tax obligations. Clayton’s actions demonstrate the lengths to which individuals may go to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, and serve as a reminder to taxpayers of the importance of meeting their tax obligations.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/former-north-carolina-builder-pleads-guilty-tax-obstruction