Convicted carjacker tried to have Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie audited by the IRS
From his prison cell in the Upper Peninsula, a convicted carjacker drafted a document claiming he paid Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie $12 million - a move authorities say was made to get the prosecutor audited by the IRS.
But the Internal Revenue Service didn’t audit Mackie. Instead, agents levied charges of “corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue Code” against 41-year-old James Deven Harris.
James Deven Harris
After months of delays and legal wrangling, Harris recently pleaded guilty to the charge.
U.S. Treasury Department Special Agent Todd Allen said the case was unusual.
“We’re quite confident he didn’t pay Mr. Mackie that money,” Allen said. “It’s a pretty rare case.”
A federal indictment accuses Harris of filing false IRS Form 1099s in 2006 and 2007, claiming to have paid $6 million in interest and $6 million in original issue discount to Mackie. Harris later admitted he did that in an attempt to get Mackie audited.
Mackie said Friday he’s never been audited.
“I’m pretty straight and narrow,” Mackie said. “I assure you I didn’t get $6 million from him.”
Then he joked, “But I won’t take a polygraph.”
In 1994, Harris was convicted of carjacking in Washtenaw County. Mackie said he didn’t personally prosecute Harris, but recalls Harris was armed with a gun when he stole a car from someone at a gas station, then led police on a lengthy, dangerous chase that ended in Wayne County.
Harris was convicted and was sentenced to 15 to 25 years in prison. His earliest release date is February 2011, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
When Harris is sentenced in the federal case Dec. 28, he faces up to three years in prison and up to one year of supervised release.
Mackie said it’s not unusual for prisoners to file false paperwork or lawsuits - though not typically to the IRS. He said his record was a lawsuit claiming he owed a prisoner $123 billion, while another demanded 30 pieces of silver.
Mackie said he hopes the conviction serves as a deterrent.
“These lawsuits and other things have to be responded to, and this case took time from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and others,” Mackie said. “It’s a big waste of resources.”
Amalie Nash is the news director at AnnArbor.com. Reach her at amalienash@annarbor.com or 734-623-2521.
Comments
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 7:24 a.m.
Evidently Mr. Harris has been sleeping through his "rehabilitation classes"
Larry Kestenbaum
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 : 9:58 p.m.
Here's a link to the Order of Summary Dismissal in that case: http://js.docstoc.com/docs/488346/Taylor-v-Klu-Klux-Klan-et-al---4
Larry Kestenbaum
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 : 9:55 p.m.
[Mackie] said his record was a lawsuit claiming he owed a prisoner $123 billion Hey, I can beat that. A prisoner filed a federal lawsuit against me and a co-defendant for $100 trillion. The co-defendant was the Ku Klux Klan. The judge ruled that the lawsuit was frivolous, as were many others by the same gentleman. Therefore, he was prohibited from filing any more lawsuits without permission of the court.
icegoalie
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 : 8:12 p.m.
Holy Cow! I am the "someone" that JD carjacked at the corner of Jackson and Stadium at the Shell Station across from the Road House!!! In court his "defense" was that he was just walking down the street and someone pulled a gun on him and made him drive our truck to Detroit...that says it all!
voiceofreason
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 : 3:08 p.m.
Haha, apparently life is getting prettaaaaaay boring for Mr.Harris up there in the UP.