Letti Strait, 50, was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion on Thursday. Strait was once a person of interest in the 2007 murder of her husband.
In April Strait was found guilty of evading states taxes and filing false claims. Prosecutors stated that she attempted to claim her four children on her 2008 tax returns, however her children were in state custody since 2007. The state took the children after her husband was found dead in their home. She was arrested by police after a stand-off. Prosecutors wanted Strait to serve 10 years in jail but the judge in her case sentenced her to 3 years.
She wasn’t charged with anything related to her husband’s murder, but still remains a suspect.
Failure to pay state or federal income taxes can have dire consequences. The fines and penalties associated with delinquent tax payments can make it nearly impossible for a person to pay, but a tax attorney may be able to have them reduced.
In contrast to failure to pay or a delinquent payment, completely evading taxes or filing fraudulent forms can result in a prison sentence. To launch a favorable defense in tax fraud or evasion charge it is necessary to employ a tax attorney who has extensive training and knowledge of tax laws. The tax code is complicated and only a tax lawyer has the needed training to understand and challenge the laws.
