HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Dean E. Dawson, 65, of Hurricane, was sentenced on Aug. 18 to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $430,527.56 plus interest in restitution for his willful failure to pay over employment taxes on behalf of his business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dawson owned and operated Real Property Consulting Group LLC (RPC Group), a Hurricane real estate appraisal business. Dawson was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from RPC GroupÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS.
The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare, according to a news release from the US Department of Justice. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employeesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
Between 2015 and 2022, Dawson did not pay to the IRS the taxes withheld from his employeesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ paychecks. He also used RPC GroupÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including personal credit cards and his wifeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s home mortgage. Dawson also issued checks to his wife from RPC Group even though she was not an employee of the business. In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Dawson did not file personal tax returns or pay income taxes.
In total, Dawson caused a tax loss to the IRS of about $525,000, according to the release.
Acting US Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the IRS-Criminal Investigations.
US District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Caruso of the Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
