Source: United States Attorneys General
Headline: Man Charged with Tax Evasion and Other Tax Crimes
HOUSTON – A local man has been taken into custody following the return of an indictment alleging a total of eight tax crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Edward J. Crouse turned himself in to federal authorities today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy as early as 10:00 a.m.
A federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment Jan. 25, 2018. Crouse is charged with two counts of tax evasion for his 2011 and 2012 U.S. Individual Income Tax returns, five counts of willfully failing to truthfully account for and to pay over employment tax withholdings and one count of obstructing and impeding the due administration of the Internal Revenue Code.
If convicted, he faces up to five years for each of the tax evasion charges and for willfully failing to truthfully account for and to pay over employment tax withholdings, while the obstruction charge carries a three-year-maximum term. He also faces a possible $250,000 fine on each of the counts.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles J. Escher is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.