The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama said on 12 November 2026 that Markita Latrice Thornton, 40, of Cowarts, Alabama, was sentenced on 10 November to 33 months in federal prison and one year o…
Source: justice.gov · published
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama said on 12 November 2026 that Markita Latrice Thornton, 40, of Cowarts, Alabama, was sentenced on 10 November to 33 months in federal prison and one year of supervised release for aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false federal income tax returns for clients. According to her plea agreement, Thornton began preparing returns at a Dothan tax preparation business in 2016 and took her fees out of clients' refunds. Examples in the plea include a January 2022 return reporting $10,995 in income from a business she knew did not exist, and a February 2023 return for a client with dementia that falsely claimed a dependent, education credits, a $4,113 fuel tax credit and $12,105 of profit from a non-existent repair business. She admitted her conduct caused an actual tax loss of more than $1.6 million. The court ordered $328,158.34 in restitution to the IRS, and she agreed to forfeit $76,783.50. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated.
A charge, an arraignment, a witness's testimony or a prosecutor's accusation is not a finding of guilt. People and companies named in these reports are accused, charged or, where the source says so, convicted or sentenced, and they are presumed innocent unless and until a court finds otherwise. Do not treat a news report or a press release as a substitute for a court judgment. If you think you were affected by the same kind of scheme, keep records and report them to the investigating agency named in the source, or to your local police and your bank.
Source: https://x.com/USAO_MDAL/status/2120899062949966006 (@USAO_MDAL, Nov 12, 2026, 10:18 AM ET); https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdal/pr/houston-county-woman-sentenced-filing-false-tax-returns-behalf-clients (USAO Middle District of Alabama, 12 Nov 2026)
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