FRESNO, Calif. - Jeffrey G. Vincent, 68, of Madera, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to four years and three months in prison for tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On April 7, 2017, a federal jury convicted Vincent on five counts of evading the assessment and payment of individual income taxes. According to evidence presented during the four-day trial, in 1991, Vincent began operating a Fresno-based engineering company called Veco Technologies, organized as Stafford Group Limited Partnership, for which Vincent was general partner. Vincent had not filed an individual income tax return since 1989, despite earning significant income from Stafford Group, including close to $500,000 between 2007 and 2010. Two federal tax liens were filed on Vincent’s assets in 1993 and 2000 when he failed to pay assessments made for earlier years’ tax delinquencies. Vincent signed tax returns for Stafford Group in which he falsely represented that he does not have a social security number. Vincent also funneled his income through various trusts and other entities.
“Mr. Vincent formed entities and trusts and funneled his income in a manner that enabled him to evade paying taxes," said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “All taxpayers are required to follow the law and the law requires accurate reporting and timely payment of any tax due and owing. Today’s sentencing should send a clear message that those involved in these types of schemes will be held accountable for their crimes."
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Kirk E. Sherriff prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
