Gainesville woman’s tax scheme gets her 5 years in prison

A Gainesville woman was sentenced to more than five years in prison Wednesday for a scheme to impede the IRS from collecting taxes.

The timing of Jacqueline Ann Demer’s sentence was not a coincidence.

“As the 2009 tax filing season concludes today, these sentencings send a very clear and timely message that attempting to defy or impede our nation’s tax system can result in significant jail time,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Reginael McDaniel.

Demer, 50, was convicted of mailing five false bonds submitted as purported payment of her employer’s tax liabilities, penalties and interest for the years 1996 through 2000.

Prosecutors say Demer hasn’t filed a tax return since 2002. She was also found guilty of giving false testimony in court, enhancing her sentence. In addition to the 5-year, 3-month prison term, Demer was ordered to pay a restitution of $315,829 and was fined $15,000.

Her alleged co-conspirator, Jerry Robert Lahr, 65, of Hurst, Texas, pleaded guilty and testified against Demer at trial. He was sentenced Wednesday to serve 3 years, 1 month in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of more than $1.1 million.

Lahr had gross income of roughly $2.6 million for the tax years 1996 through 2003, but did not file federal income tax returns or make any payments to the IRS for those tax years, prosecutors said.