A tax preparer was found guilty of collaborating in filing false tax returns

a step.- A Canyon Lake woman was sentenced in federal court in El Paso to 24 months in prison on charges of aiding and abetting in preparing a false tax return.

According to court documents, Dawn Marie Munoz, 54, ran a tax preparation business, filing IRS forms for an organization and several of its members. In preparing and filing IRS Joint Form 1040 for his clients' individual income tax returns, Munoz materially understated his clients' income paid as salaries by the organization.

Munoz was arrested on April 12, 2022, and pleaded guilty on May 10, 2023, to one count of a 16-count indictment. In addition to being jailed, Munoz was also ordered to pay $227,197 to four victims.

“Munoz was an experienced tax preparer who engaged in fraudulent business practices and took advantage of long-term, trusted clients,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This investigation by our law enforcement partners at FBI El Paso and the IRS, along with the judge’s ruling, makes clear that anyone who attempts to undermine our tax system faces prosecution with serious penalties.”

“The defendant used her position to personally enrich herself at the expense of the citizens of El Paso,” said Special Agent in Charge John Morales of the FBI’s El Paso Division. “The public can be assured that the defendant has been held accountable for the crimes she committed. The FBI thanks our IRS criminal investigation partners for their assistance in the investigation to prevent Munoz from stealing from hardworking employees for his greed.”

“Munoz lied and stole from his clients in ways that would have everyone wondering and checking every aspect of their tax returns this year. He prepared fraudulent returns for clients, convincing them to write checks to pay the IRS money they did not owe,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. “She stole money and filed false returns herself to cover her tracks,” said Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation Field Office in Houston. “This level of deception on Munoz’s part is likely to reverberate far beyond West Texas.”

The FBI and IRS CI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen prosecuted the case.