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Date: 12-06-2019

Case Style:

United States of America v. Janell Lightner

Case Number: 6:18-cr-00320-ADA

Judge: Alan D. Albright

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (McLennan County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: David Zisserson, Joseph H. Gay, Jr., Mark Frazier, Robert Andrew Kemins

Defendant's Attorney:


Call 918-582-6422 for help finding a criminal defense lawyer in Waco, Texas for representation on a conspiracy to defraud the United States charge.


Description: Waco, TX - The United States of America charged Janell Lightner with conspiracy to defraud the United States.

A Waco, Texas, tax return preparer was sentenced to 27 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to the indictment and information provided to the court, Janell Lightner and her co-defendant Stacey Anderson conspired to defraud the United States by preparing false tax returns for clients of Anderson’s tax return preparation business, Anderson Professional Tax Services. Anderson operated the business out of her residence in Waco, but she and Lightner prepared tax returns for clients in Texas, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. From 2013 through 2014, Lightner assisted Anderson in preparing fraudulent returns that inflated deductions and claimed false education credits in order to increase client refunds. Lightner’s conduct caused a tax loss of more than $1.3 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright ordered Lightner to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the United States in the amount of $1,337,800.88. Anderson was previously sentenced on Oct. 9, 2019, and ordered to serve 87 months in prison and to pay more than $8 million in restitution to the United States.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Robert Kemins and David Zisserson, who prosecuted the case. Mr. Zuckerman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas (Waco Division) for their substantial assistance.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.


Charge:


18:371.F - CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES

Outcome: 2/05/2019 146 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Alan D Albright:Sentencing held on 12/5/2019 for Janell Lightner (2), Count(s) 1. Court accepts plea agreement. Statement of Defendant and counsel heard. Objections to Pre-Sentence Report heard - objections overruled. Pre-Sentence report sealed. 27 months imprisonment. 3 years Supervised Release. Fine waived. $100 Special Assessment. $1,337,800.88 Restitution.; Count(s) 19-21, Dismissed per Government's Motion. Defendant continued in custody. Court recommends that the defendant be incarcerated in a federal facility in Bryan, Texas area. (Minute entry documents are not available electronically.) (Court Reporter Kristie Davis.) (mc5) (Entered: 12/05/2019)

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