Morgan County Sheriff Ana Woodard Franklin has been charged for failing to file a tax return.
The charge was announced by U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman.
The one-count information filed in United States District Court Tuesday charged Franklin, age 54, of Hartsell, with willfully failing to file a personal income tax return for tax year 2015.
“We expect all of our citizens, to include and especially our public officials to promptly and accurately file their tax returns,” Town said. “The Department of Justice will continue to federally charge those who fail to do so. We appreciate the investigative work of IRS-CID and FBI Birmingham.”
“As we approach the tax filing season, this case should be an example of what happens when you fail to file and pay your taxes,” Holloman said. “Doing so may subject you to significant penalties, fines, and the possibility of jail time.”
Franklin was a former Morgan County Sheriff’s Department investigator when she won the Republican nomination from two-term incumbent Sheriff Greg Bartlett in 2010.
The penalty for willfully failing to file a tax return is a maximum of 1 year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.
IRS-CID investigated the case along with FBI Birmingham. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey is prosecuting the case.
In 2016 the IRS initiated 3395 investigations, 2744 prosecutions were recommended, there were 2761 informations/indictments handed down, 2762 convictions, and 2699 defendants sentenced. 79.9 percent of those went to prison and served an average sentence of 41 months.
