Gainesville woman, Cumming man indicted on tax fraud charges

ATLANTA - The tax-filing deadline is next week - and the U.S. Justice Department reports the indictment of a Hall County woman and a Forsyth County man it says have not been paying their fair share of taxes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Reggie McDaniel says Jaqueline Demere of Gainesville and Daniel Edward Turner of Cumming were indicted in separate cases:

● Jerry Lahr, 64, formerly of Duluth and now of Hurst, Texas, and Jacqueline Demere, 49, of Gainesville were indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Atlanta on charges of conspiracy to impede the IRS in assessing the collection of LAHR's federal income taxes. Lahr and Demer allegedly used nominee entities ("shell companies") to conceal income and assets, and allegedly passed fictitious obligations (fake bonds). They face a maximum prison term of 25 years and a fine of up to $250,000, as well as full restitution. Both were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judges Thursday.

●Daniel Edward Turner, 42, of Cumming, was also indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Atlanta on charges of corruptly interfering and submitting fictitious obligations for payment on behalf of him and his spouse to the IRS. According to the indictment, Turner allegedly paid fees to an organization called "American Rights Litigators" ("ARL") in exchange for his use of ARL's fraudulent tax schemes, and allegedly attempted to conceal his true income from the IRS. Turner was arraigned before a United States Magistrate in Gainesville Thursday.

U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias warned Friday "The April 15th deadline should not serve as a temptation to cheat on taxes, for either taxpayers or tax preparers."