By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A pair of River Parishes women were charged in federal court with filing false tax returns in separate incidents, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Jim Letten’s office.

Jatera Mitchell, 27, of LaPlace and Tanza Robertson, 40, of Paulina were each charged in a one-count bill of information in separate court appearances. According to Letten’s office, the women worked as tax preparers and filed fraudulent returns in 2007.

The bill of information against Mitchell states she prepared and filed a fraudulent income tax return on Feb. 5, 2007, amounting to $6,779. The return contained false Schedule C income and expenses, false dependents, false education expenses and false federal telephone excise tax credits.

Meanwhile, authorities say Robertson owned tax preparation businesses under the names 3KS, K&K Quick Tax Service and Superior Mobile Tax Services, and it is alleged she prepared and filed a fraudulent income tax return on Feb. 26, 2007, amounting to $8,341. Her return contained false Schedule C income and expenses and false Schedule A charitable contributions and uniform upkeep expenses.

With a conviction, the charges carry maximum terms of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Both cases are being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer.