An Agoura Hills man is scheduled to be arraigned November 26, 2002 on three felony counts of tax evasion for failing to file his state income tax returns, according to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB).
David C. Wheeler, 50, an independent securities broker, today was held over for arraignment on charges that he failed to file his state income tax returns for the years 1996 – 1998. During those years, Wheeler allegedly earned more than $300,000 in brokerage commissions from a San Francisco brokerage company. He owes the state more than $20,000 in delinquent taxes. If found guilty of all charges, Wheeler faces up to three years in state prison.
Investigators state that Wheeler ignored numerous requests from the FTB to file his returns. The FTB’s filing enforcement program matches more than 220 million income records received from employers, banks, the Internal Revenue Service, and other sources to compare its database of tax returns filed with the California income data. The FTB then contacts individuals to request returns from those who have California income, but did not file a tax return. The FTB resolves most cases through its filing enforcement program before filing criminal charges.
The scheduled arraignment will be heard before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lawrence J. Mira, in Malibu Court, Dept 1. Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Mike Wilson is prosecuting this case.