Two Former Oregon Residents Now Residing in Arizona Indicted for Obstructing IRS Investigation and Other Tax Crimes

The U.S. Department of Justice reports in its press release (quotation, not an independent finding): “WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Portland, Ore., returned a superseding indictment against Micaela Renee Dutson and her husband, Tony Dutson, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The Dutsons were originally indicted May 8, 2008, on charges that they conspired to defraud the United States of more than $8 million and failed to file income taxes. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges on June 5, 2008. The superseding indictment adds charges that the Dutsons attempted to obstruct the IRS in its attempt to enforce the tax laws by filing lawsuits, baseless liens and multiple Forms 1099-OID against IRS employees. The indictment alleges that the baseless liens claimed a debt owed by the IRS employees to the defendants totalling $1,003,680,000,000. According to the superseding indictment, the Forms 1099-OID falsely claimed payment of millions of dollars to IRS employees who were investigating the defendants. The superseding indictment also includes charges that the Dutsons presented five fictitious financial obligations totalling approximately $9,903,870 for use by their clients in purported payment of IRS debts. It further includes a charge that the Dutsons willfully aided and assisted the filing of a false 2002 federal tax return by clients. "This indictment shows that the government will not tolerate taxpayers’ use of bogus financial instruments to pay tax debts and IRS forms as a means to harass IRS employees," said Tax Division Assistant Attorney General Nathan J. Hochman. "Under the National Tax Defier Initiative launched in April 2008”