Security News: GILLETTE MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON AND ORDERED TO PAY OVER $200,000 IN RESTITUTION FOR WIRE FRAUD AND TAX VIOLATIONS

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DAVID A. JACKSON, a/k/a GERALD DAVID JACKSON, a/k/a GERALD D. RODERICK-JACKSON, age 37 of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced for violations of wire fraud, willful failure to collect or pay over tax, and filing a false tax return. He appeared for a sentencing hearing before United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on May 24, 2022. Jackson received 46 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud and willful failure to collect or pay over tax to the IRS, respectively, with three years of supervised release. As to the offense of filing a false tax return, he received 36 months’ imprisonment with one year of supervised release. The sentences will be served concurrently.  Jackson was also ordered to pay $203,251 in restitution and a $300 special assessment.

From October 2017 to April 2019, Jackson worked as the officer manager for a Gillette-based company.  Part of Jackson’s duties included handling all financial aspects of his employer’s businesses, including collecting, accounting for and paying over trust fund taxes to the IRS on behalf of his employer. Jackson also owned and operated a taxi business in Gillette and Casper under the names: Need A Ride Transportation, All Star Transportation, and WYRide LLC. From February 2018 to April 2019, Jackson committed wire fraud by embezzling money from his employer, diverting money from the employer’s bank account and misusing a company credit card for his own personal expenditures, to include expenses associated with his taxi business.  As part of his scheme to defraud his employer, Jackson also failed to account for and pay over to the IRS the employer’s trust fund taxes, instead diverting those funds for his own personal use, to include paying expenses associated with his taxi business.  In January 2019, Jackson filed a 2018 individual income tax return with the IRS in which he failed to report $136,008 in income from several sources, namely, the monies he embezzled from his employer and other income he earned that year.

“Jackson took advantage of his position and the relationship he cultivated with his employer for his own purposes,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “Thanks to our partnership with IRS Criminal Investigations and the Gillette Police Department, he will have almost four years in federal prison to reflect on his actions. Let this sentence serve as a warning to others who might be tempted to abuse their position for personal gain.”

“Jackson was aware of his responsibilities and the duties he was trusted to perform, and instead he chose to embezzle funds from his employer and hide money from the IRS,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that these crimes will not go unpunished. Our special agents along with our law enforcement partners will continue to track down individuals who act with a blatant disregard for the law and use the proceeds for their own personal benefit.” 

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Gillette Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen is prosecuting the case. 

Case No. 21-cr-00087-NDF