Plea is innocent in false-tax-returns case

A Sherwood woman pleaded innocent Tuesday in federal court in Little Rock to 14 counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns on behalf of several individuals and businesses.

Lorene Williams, 57, was indicted last week, accused of filing income-tax returns in 2014, 2015 and 2016 that fraudulently represented that taxpayers were entitled to claim deductions for items and amounts to which they actually weren’t entitled.

The indictment lists the basis for each charge, with each count including a claimed deduction for a “residential energy credit.”

One of the taxpayers, identified as A. Clay, also falsely claimed deductions for child care expenses and a fuel-tax credit. Two others, identified as J&M Williams and D&J Woods, falsely claimed a fuel-tax credit as well, according to the indictment.

The alleged tax losses listed in the indictment range from $2,550 claimed in 2016 by taxpayer D&J Woods for the 2015 tax year, for a residential energy credit, to $10,839 claimed by A. Clay in 2015 for the tax year 2014, for the residential energy credit, the child care expense deduction and a fuel-tax credit.

Other taxpayers on whose behalf Williams is accused of filing tax returns are identified as L&P Arnold, D. Daniels, R. Pelagio and D. Phillips, though the taxpayers haven’t been charged.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Harris accepted Williams’ innocent plea to the charges and tentatively set her jury trial for Feb. 25 before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian S. Miller.