West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax Crimes

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In a significant development, a federal jury in Beckley, West Virginia, has convicted the owner of a local ambulance service for tax crimes. Christopher Jason Smyth, the operator of Stat EMS LLC, was found guilty of failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages and obstructing the IRS. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Smyth had created Stat EMS after his previous ambulance business faced massive employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy.

The investigation found that for two quarters in 2016, Smyth failed to fully pay the withheld taxes to the IRS. Instead, he diverted funds to personal expenses and businesses owned by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS had accumulated around $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.

Smyth also attempted to mislead the revenue officer during the IRS’s collection efforts. He claimed to have no personal bank accounts but regularly deposited his paychecks into a relative’s account. Moreover, he denied any involvement with other businesses despite having signature authority over their bank accounts.

The jury found Smyth guilty on two counts of failing to pay taxes for 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS’s collection efforts. However, he was acquitted of failure to pay taxes for two quarters in 2017. Smyth is now awaiting sentencing on September 4 and could face up to five years in prison for each count of failing to pay taxes and three years for obstructing the IRS.

The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation unit, and Assistant Chief David Zisserson, along with other prosecution team members, presented the case. This conviction serves as a reminder that tax evasion and obstructing the IRS will not go unpunished, ensuring the integrity of the tax system for all Americans.

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