BERLIN, Md. - A federal jury convicted a Maryland man Monday of 16 counts related to failing to collect and pay, following years of tax evasion while serving as the chief executive officer of two telecommunications companies.
According to the Department of Justice, Brett Hill, of Parkton and Berlin, withheld federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes from employee paychecks between 2016 and 2018 but did not file the required quarterly tax returns or pay the withheld funds to the federal government. Hill also failed to pay his companies’ portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Instead of meeting those obligations, the DOJ said Hill used company funds to pay himself and cover other expenses. The total tax loss to the government exceeded $1 million, according to the department.
Hill now faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the 16 counts. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Shawn T. Noud and Catriona M. Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.