A Bridgeport-based tax return preparer, who was arrested for tax fraud after an undercover federal agent posed as a customer, was sentenced Tuesday to three months in prison.
U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Shea imposed the sentence on Torise Baker, 39, who operated 101 Things 2 Do LLC, a business in Bridgeport that provided tax preparation services.
After Baker serves the three months, she will be on supervised release for one year. The first month of supervised release will be in home detention.
Shea also ordered Baker to pay a $7,500 fine, plus $112,956 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
In March of this year, Baker pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Baker prepared approximately 3,600 federal tax returns between 2014 through 2016. Federal prosecutors alleged that many of these contained phony deductions, including unreimbursed business expenses, charitable contributions and tax preparation fees.
An undercover federal agent posed as a customer in April 2016 and met with Baker.
The agent provided Baker with a W-2 for the 2015 tax year and told Baker there were no charitable gifts or valid deductions to include, prosecutors said.
However, Baker proceeded to file a tax return for the undercover agent that falsely included $5,520 in deductions for charitable gifts; $2,105 for parking fees, tolls, and transportation; and $2,660 for uniforms and protective clothing, according to the government.
Baker also failed to file her own federal tax returns and pay taxes for the 2015 and 2016 tax years.
Any of Baker’s clients with false information on their returns should submit amended ones, and this could reduce the restitution amount, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed had asked the judge to impose a period of incarceration.
“A prison sentence will serve to deter both her and other tax return preparers from engaging in similar serious conduct in the future,” Jongbloed said, in a pre-sentencing memorandum.
Attorney Frank Riccio of Bridgeport, who represented Baker, indicated that she currently works in real estate.
Riccio had asked for a sentence of probation, noting that his client cooperated with the investigation and is a single mother of young children.
Riccio submitted multiple letters from the community written on Baker’s behalf for the judge to consider.
Carolyn Harris of Bridgeport submitted a letter stating, “While it is unfortunate that Torise has made some bad decisions…I know she not only regrets her actions, but is ready to accept responsibility.”
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
