Howell Man Sentenced In Tax Evasion Scheme: Feds

HOWELL, NJ - A Howell business owner was sentenced Thursday to 12 months and one day in prison for tax evasion and failure to pay the IRS over $540,000 in employment taxes, federal officials said.

Wilson Salas-Molina, 41, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of payroll tax evasion and one count of failure to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes, said Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig.

The prison sentence, alsong with a mandatory three years of supervised release and a payment of $541,181 in restitution to the IRS, was imposed Thursday in Trenton federal court.

According to court documents, Salas-Molina was the owner and operator of US Contractor Inc., a roofing business located in Monmouth County. Between 2012 and 2018, Salas-Molina was reportedly required to withhold and pay over to the IRS the employment taxes for US Contractor employees. However, Salas-Molina cashed checks he received from roofing clients at a check cashing service and paid his 14 employees in cash to conceal his payment of wages and his failure to report, account for, and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.

The scheme resulted in a failure to withhold and pay over $540,000 in employment taxes to the IRS, federal officials said.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez with the investigation leading to the sentencing.