Thornton man indicted for preparing false tax returns a decade after similar case

DENVER (KDVR) — A Thornton man who was sentenced to probation for false tax returns in 2014 was recently indicted by a federal grand jury for preparing false tax returns on behalf of clients.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Lance McCuistion, 56, pleaded guilty in July 2014 to preparing false tax returns in a prior investigation and was sentenced to probation. Because of that sentence, McCuistion was prevented from getting a Preparer Tax Identification Number.

However, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, McCuistion used others’ identification numbers to continue preparing tax returns for at least four years.

According to the federal grand jury indictment, McCuistion used Preparer Tax ID Numbers from three individuals associated with him to prepare tax returns on behalf of clients between April 2018 through April 2022. According to the federal prosecutors, the tax returns prepared by McCuistion claimed items he knew the taxpayers were ineligible for to increase refunds or reduce the taxes due.

McCuistion appeared in court on these charges on April 12. The case is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division.