Photographer Kevin Fleming Sentenced For Tax Evasion

A well-known photographer has been sentenced to one year in federal prison for a guilty plea to federal tax evasion charges.

67-year-old Bruce Kevin Fleming of Milton, according to prosecutors, had not filed federal income tax returns or paid any such taxes since 1981. The charges on which he was indicted covered the years 2012-2016.

Under the sentence, Fleming is to make more than $192,000 restitution for income taxes owed, and more than $22,000 restitution in payroll taxes that he withheld from employees’ wages in 2016 and 2017 but did not turn over to the IRS.

“The financial loss in tax cases is shared by every member of the tax-paying public.  Our nation’s ability to operate and serve its citizenry depends on voluntary compliance with tax obligations,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Weiss said. “The defendant not only willfully evaded his personal income tax obligations, but he failed to pay over taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks, demonstrating a complete disregard for their individual tax liabilities.”

Prosecutors also said Fleming had the money to pay income taxes, as his total net income was $393,000, but Fleming spent $75,000 at restaurants and bars and $2,350 monthly to rent an $800,000 home in Lewes one block from the beach.

The criminal investigation began only after Fleming ignored all of the IRS’s letters and civil assessments, according to Weiss.

“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of Mr. Fleming disregarding his tax responsibility for nearly two decades,” IRS-Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty added. “Taxpayers want to know that everyone is doing their part and paying their fair share of taxes.  IRS-CI will continue to vigorously investigate those individuals who knowingly and willfully evade their tax obligation.”