DENVER (KDVR) — A Thornton man has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for filing false tax returns on behalf of clients.

Tuesday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Lance McCuiston, 56, was sentenced to 52 months after accepting a plea deal and pleading guilty.

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In the summer of 2014, McCuistion pleaded guilty to preparing false tax returns and was sentenced to probation. According to the attorney’s office, McCuiston was unable to obtain a preparer tax identification number because of this offense.

“However, from approximately April 2018 through April 2022, McCuistion used PTINs on behalf of three individuals associated with McCuistion to prepare tax returns on behalf of clients,” press release from the lawyer’s office it reads.

According to the release, in those statements, McCuiston claimed items he knew taxpayers were ineligible for in an effort to increase the amount refunded or reduce what was owed.

“Their clients trust their tax preparers to do the right thing,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “We will continue to pursue tax preparers who abuse this trust for personal gain.”

The file was instrumented by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.

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