Sonny Pilcher, Tax Fraud, Wyoming 2014

Wyoming Businessman Sentenced for Tax Fraud

A Casper, Wyoming, man was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison for tax fraud by U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson in the District of Wyoming.

Sonny Pilcher, the owner of CC Cowboys, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2014, to one count of obstructing the administration of the internal revenue laws. During his guilty plea hearing, Pilcher admitted that he claimed a false expense of $258,000 for a repaid business loan on his tax return for 2008.

Pilcher also admitted to evading employment taxes by paying his employees in cash. The government’s evidence showed that he impeded the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by destroying income records for his business, commingling money between bank accounts of separate businesses, and creating 242 fraudulent invoices totaling $3.9 million.

The evidence showed that in 2007 and 2008, Pilcher received approximately $750,000 from the fraudulent invoices, which was not reported on his income tax returns. In a previous interview with the IRS special agent investigating the case, Pilcher admitted that he did not have a personal bank account and that he only ever used cash to pay for his living expenses.

Pilcher was also sentenced to one year of supervised release following his prison term and required to pay a $10,000 fine. This case was investigated by special agents in the Cheyenne, Wyoming, office of IRS-Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Lori A. Hendrickson and Ignacio Perez de la Cruz of the Tax Division.

The case against Pilcher demonstrates the importance of honesty and transparency in financial dealings. By obstructing the IRS and evading taxes, Pilcher not only broke the law but also cheated his fellow citizens out of the revenue they need to fund essential public services.

The sentence handed down to Pilcher serves as a reminder that tax evasion and obstruction of justice will not be tolerated. The public should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities to help prevent such crimes from occurring in the future.

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