MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Department of Revenue announced today the indictment and arrest of Cleburne County resident Clarence Turner, 62, of Heflin, on four counts of Subscribing to a Tax Return Known to be False as to Material Matters and 42 counts of Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Tax. Turner surrendered to authorities at the Cleburne County Sherriff’s Office on August 5 and was released on a $23,000 bond.
The Special Prosecutions Division of the Attorney General’s Office presented evidence to a Cleburne County grand jury that resulted in Turner’s indictment on July 30. The indictment charges Turner with subscribing to false income tax returns in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, and willfully failing to collect and pay sales tax on sales of alcohol each month from July 2018 through December 2021.
If convicted, Turner faces a maximum penalty of up to five years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for each Willful Failure to Collect and Pay Over Tax charge, and up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of Subscribing to a Tax Return Known to be False as to Material Matters. No further information about the investigation or about Turner’s alleged crimes other than that stated in the indictment may be released at this time.
Press Contact
Tax Policy and Governmental Affairs Division
taxpolicy@revenue.alabama.gov
334-242-1380