Smethport man Brian Gustafson is scheduled to be arraigned on three federal tax-related charges on Aug. 25 via videoconference.
Gustafson, 48, is charged with tax evasion, filing a false income tax return and obstruction of IRS laws. His arraignment will be before Magistrate Judge Richard Lanzillo, sitting in Erie.
According to the indictment, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, from April 2010 to October 2017, Gustafson attempted to evade the payment of income taxes for the calendar years of 2009 through 2016.
The indictment alleged he replaced a known bank account with an undisclosed bank account and failed to disclose it to either the federal bankruptcy court or to the IRS; filed a false Form 433-A on which he was required to truthfully provide information on his assets and financial condition; lied to the IRS about his use of a previously undisclosed account; and made “significant cash withdrawals” from that account.
The undisclosed account was in the name of McCormack Enterprises, the indictment alleged.
An internet search showed McCormack Enterprises was created in 1992, added Gustafson in 2005, and has an address of 1235 West Main St., Smethport. That address is also given for Gus’s Guns, Clearfield Transportation Services Inc. and Gustafson’s home address.
Gustafson, who owns Priority Care Ambulance, purchased a private ambulance service from Bill McCormack, former Bradford City fire chief, in June of 2005.
Under the law, the maximum penalties include a total sentence of 11 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. No attorney was listed for Gustafson as of Wednesday evening.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
