Oxford Junction woman sentenced on federal tax charge
OXFORD JUNCTION, Iowa (KCRG) - A 48-year-old Oxford Junction woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax evasion after an investigation by the IRS.
According to court documents, Penny Lane Witt operated businesses under the names of Ultimate Tree Service and Spruces Tree Service. In 2016 and 2017, an individual paid for multiple remodeling landscaping projects. Witt did not keep business records, did not have a business or individual bank account, and conducted all business and payroll expenses in cash.
In the two-year span, Witt would take checks from the individual, cash them at the customer’s bank, and not deposit them in a bank account, concealing any usual record of the gross income she received.
Witt received approximately $469,000 in payments. Witt reportedly admitted that she knew her legal duty to file tax returns for these years, and willfully chose not to file.
“Ms. Witt took advantage of a vulnerable person and cheated them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, “IRS Criminal Investigation recognizes the presence of fraud targeting elder Americans, and we will continue to combat these crimes and hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.”
On top of the prison sentence, Witt was order to serve three years on supervised release and pay $75,849 to the IRS.
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