Woman guilty of tax fraud

A 58-year-old Columbia Falls woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of attempting to evade or defeat taxes.

Leslie Jean McIntosh entered her pleas in U.S. District Court in Missoula.

She now faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000 on each count. Sentencing is set for April 20, 2012. She is currently released on special conditions.

According to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, McIntosh put $131,511.14 from Fitec Inc. and its related companies in her personal account and the account of another person while serving as FITEC’s chief financial officer.

In interviews with law enforcement, the other account holder said McIntosh told him the checks had to be deposited in his account “to conceal the money from the IRS.”

FITEC is a Kalispell professional collection agency.

The deposits were discovered after the company’s owners found irregularities in the company’s financial records in spring 2008.

An audit was ordered and the company found out about McIntosh’s deposits, which were above her documented salary — $45,000 when she began as chief financial officer, increased to $60,000 after a short period of time.

By not listing the deposits, made over 2006, 2007 and 2008, as income on her tax returns, McIntosh avoided $28,849 in additional taxes, leading to the federal charges. She also owes an estimated $6,710.59 in interest.

McIntosh previously had lost her Certified Public Accountant license after being convicted on a federal felony in December 2006.

The Missoulian reported Friday that McIntosh was sentenced to five years of probation and six months of home confinement and was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine after being convicted of theft of government property and identity theft.

Those charges came after McIntosh stole more than $1,000 in federal funds from Northwest Montana Head Start while serving as that organization’s chief financial officer.

McIntosh paid the fine by 2009.