Maryland Man Indicted for Employment Tax Violations

A Maryland man made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday after being charged with 16 counts of willful failure to collect, account for and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.

According to the indictment, Brett Hill, of Parkton, owned and operated two telecommunications companies and was responsible for collecting and paying to the IRS income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld from the wages of employees at both companies. Hill allegedly collected such taxes from the employees of the two companies but did not pay those taxes to the IRS or file quarterly employment tax returns. In total, Hill did not pay to the IRS approximately $900,000 in payroll taxes related to the two companies.

If convicted, Hill faces up to five years in prison for each of 16 counts of willful failure to collect or pay over employment taxes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Catriona Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.