Crime Blotter
Roofing Contractor Sentenced in $368K Tax Case
Connecticut contractor underreported $1.3 million in company revenue and will serve six months of home detention as part of his probation
A Connecticut roofing contractor was sentenced to two years of probation after admitting to filing false federal tax returns that resulted in more than $368,000 in unpaid taxes.
Mark Edwards, 61, of Danbury, owner of Mark Edwards Roofing and Siding LLC, was sentenced Oct. 28 by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven.
The first six months of his probation must be served in home detention, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. He was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and complete 100 hours of community service.
Department of Justice Edwards has owned and operated the roofing and construction company since approximately 1998. Federal prosecutors said that beginning at least as early as 2018, Edwards failed to maintain accurate business records or conduct bookkeeping. Instead, he provided his tax preparer with handwritten income and expense figures that substantially understated the company's income.
From tax years 2019 through 2023, Edwards underreported gross receipts by at least $1.3 million, resulting in a $368,334 tax loss to the IRS, according to court documents and statements made in court.
Department of Justice Edwards has since paid $368,334 in restitution to the IRS, although prosecutors said he still faces additional tax penalties and interest. He pleaded guilty March 25 to aiding in the preparation of a false tax return. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser prosecuted it.
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