Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 11-28-17

Features
Fugitive Gets 8-1⁄2 Years In Tax Fraud, ID Theft Scam
Three Killed In Wrong-Way Accident
A federal judge has sen- tenced a Tampa man to prison for theft of govern- ment funds and aggravated identity theft.
Everett J. Taylor, 45, pleaded guilty to the charges on July 3, 2017. The inci- dents took place several years earlier. However, in June 2015, Taylor removed his electronic monitoring device while on ordered home con- finement and fled from pre- trial release.
Last Tuesday, District
Judge Elizabeth A. Ko- vachevich sentenced Tay- lor to 8 years and six months in federal prison. The Court also ordered him to forfeit real property located in Tampa, which is traceable to the offenses. In addition, the Court entered a money judgment in the amount of $124,521, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to court docu- ments, Taylor and his brother, Robert Earl Tay- lor, were involved in a scheme to file false and fraudulent income tax re- turns with the Internal Rev- enue Service (IRS) to generate large refunds. The investigation revealed that
EVERETT TAYLOR
the IRS had received fraudu- lent tax returns and had is- sued refunds totaling $304,411.24 based on fraud- ulent tax filings in the amount of $575,884.24.
Pending trial, Everett Taylor was released from detention and ordered to home confinement and elec- tronic monitoring. He re- mained a fugitive until mid-2017.
In January 2015, Robert Earl Taylor was sentenced to eight months of home de- tention for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, theft of government property, and making fraudulent claims to the Department of the Treas- ury.
YVETTE ALEXANDRE AND LASHAY WAITERS
Last Thursday, three peo- ple were killed in what law enforcement has determined was a wrong-way accident. It occurred in the southbound lanes on Interstate 75 south of Gibsonton Drive, in Gibson- ton at Exit 250.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Mr. Justin B. Lakin, 21, of Bradenton, was driving a 2012 Toyota Corolla northbound in the southbound center lane on Interstate 75. Mr. LaShay D. Waiters, 24, of Braden- ton, was driving a 2009 Ford Focus southbound in the cen- ter lane on Interstate 75. His passenger was Ms. Yvette R. Alexandre, 21, of Ruskin.
Officials said Mr. Lakin struck the vehicle that Mr. Waiters and Ms. Alexan- dre were riding in head-on. All three were transported to Tampa General Hospital,
ACCIDENT SCENE #1
where they died as a result of their injuries. Police are not sure when Mr. Lakin began driving in the wrong direction before the 10 p.m. accident. The investigation is continu- ing.
Posts on the Internet stated that Mr. Waiters and
Ms. Alexandre were plan- ning to get married in Janu- ary.
Wilson’s Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements for Mr. Wait- ers and Ms. Alexandre. Services were incomplete at press time.
ACCIDENT SCENE #2
Driver Killed In Late Night Accident
A 26-year-old man died Sunday night in a traffic acci- dent. The accident took place on U. S. 301 at Pleasant Drive.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, James Al-
varez, of Riverview, was traveling at a high rate of speed, south on Pleasant Drive, in the center lane.
A 1998 Toyota Tacoma, driven by Ms. Victoria Rutt, 62, of Riverview, was
also traveling southbound on U. S. 301. Ms. Rutt turned left onto Pleasant Drive and entered the path of Al- varez’s 2016 Hyundai Veloster.
The two vehicles collided and Alvarez’s vehicle was propelled into a utility pole. Alvarez suffered fatal in- juries and died at the scene.
Ms. Rutt was seriously injured and transported to Tampa General Hospital. The accident remains under in- vestigation.
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