Friday, November 18, 2022

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The former deputy director of Jackson County Department of Corrections pleaded guilty in federal court today to tax evasion.

Isaac Johnston, 53, of Leavenworth, Kansas, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of individual income tax evasion.

By pleading guilty today, Johnston admitted that he failed to file personal income tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2020. According to today’s plea agreement, the total personal income tax loss to the IRS for tax years 2012 through 2020 as a result of Johnston’s failure to file a personal income tax form was $ 215,061, based on total taxable income of $1,277,442 from 2012 through 2020.

On May 1, 2018, Johnston filed a Form W-4 with his then-employer, the Jackson County Department of Corrections, in which he claimed to be exempt from federal income tax withholding. Johnston had also filed a Form W-4 on March 12, 2015, with his then-employer, CoreCivic, in which he claimed to be exempt from federal income tax withholding.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Johnston must pay $83,390 (plus interest) in restitution to the IRS, based on total taxable income of $581,479 from 2016 through 2020 (the only years for which restitution may be assessed).

Under federal statutes, Johnston is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.