Modesto man gets prison for more than 850 false tax returns

A judge on Monday sentenced a Modesto man to two years in federal prison for filing more than 850 false tax returns for himself and others over a two-year span, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento.

Mark Threet, 52, was convicted of filing a false claim for a tax refund. The defendant filed the false tax returns for 2008 to 2010.

Federal prosecutors said each tax return included false statements regarding income, tax credits and refund amounts. The returns claimed more than $620,000 for the false tax refunds, and Threet received about $270,000 in refunds, according to prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence O’Neil on Monday also ordered Threet to pay the government restitution.

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Modesto man gets prison for more than 850 false tax returns."