A Chula Vista man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on Tuesday morning for evading more than $150,000 in income tax, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Raul Casillas, 55, admitted that he did not pay his income tax from 2008 to 2010 even though he was aware that he was required to file a federal income tax return with the IRS.
According to his plea agreement, Casillas admitted that he evaded taxes by using cash in business transactions and depositing money into bank accounts opened under his wife’s name, along with those under entities he controlled.
Casillas was previously arrested in 2009 and convicted of felony elder abuse and contracting without a license. He had posed as a licensed contractor and scammed elderly customers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars according to prosecutors.
“Tax evasion results in an increasing burden on honest taxpayers who pay their fair share of income tax. Today’s sentence sends a message to the public that if you attempt to evade tax by hiding or disguising your income, the government will prosecute you and the punishment could be severe,” said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy.
Casillas was ordered to pay more than $187,000 in restitution.
