Prisoner sentenced for attempting to get Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie audited
A convicted felon who claimed he paid Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie millions of dollars in an attempt to get him audited by the Internal Revenue Service was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison.
James Deven Harris, 41, earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of "corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States." In addition to prison time, he will serve one year of supervised release when the term is over.
James Harris
Harris is currently serving a 15- to 25-year prison sentence for a carjacking conviction in Washtenaw County in 1994. His earliest release date is February 2011, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
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 from his prison cell in an attempt to get Mackie audited.
Mackie was the county's prosecutor when Harris was charged in 1994, but did not personally prosecute him. Federal agents say Harris also mailed a copy of the false 1099 tax forms to Mackie, who contacted authorities.
Harris was indicted by grand jury and pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year. According to the IRS, Harris will complete his state sentence and will then be turned over to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to serve the 21-month federal sentence.
Comments
clara
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 11:07 a.m.
talia, The key is they need to want to participate. There are numerous programs inside: "The state spends a considerable amount of its non-custody dollars annually to provide educational programming in camps and prisons. The purpose is to provide offenders with the opportunity to gain academic, social and work skills to become productive while in prison and when released. The department provides Adult Basic Education (ABE) and General Education Development (GED) courses at all prisons; six of the 12 camps (including the state's boot camp) also offer ABE and GED. (they are allowed to attend college) Prisoners are also given opportunities to learn an industry-approved trade at most facilities after they have obtained a GED. Presently, there are 13 trades taught in the prison system by over 100 highly qualified instructors. Prisoners can learn to work in the following areas: horticulture, custodial maintenance technology, business education technology, building trades, food service management, automobile mechanics, visual graphics technology and optical technician work."
bedrog
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 10:51 a.m.
"DARWIN AWARDS"are you paying attention?...very funny story and a possible pilot for a new series: " LAW AND ORDER:KNUCKLEHEAD UNIT"
Twanders
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 10:03 a.m.
perhaps if incarcerated individuals had something meaningful to do with their time while incarcerated - like getting a real education - they would stop wasting everyone elses time and resources. Its really a shame.
PJ
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 7:53 a.m.
Hi-LAR-i-ous! Thank you James Harris for making my day! OMG!
ypsimom
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 7:15 a.m.
Truly a brilliant fellow, I can't believe his plan didn't work! I'm sure everyone would believe he had a spare $6 mil laying around with which to pay Mr. Mackie.
PJ
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 5:17 a.m.
please stick your head back into your encyclopedia...
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 7:13 p.m.
The over/under on Mr. Harris returning to incarceration after his next release currently stands at 4 months.
Ignatz
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 6:20 p.m.
So sad. Society is being denied another brainiac.
ferdcom
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 5:21 p.m.
Please rewrite the first sentence.