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ST. GEORGE — A Cedar City man was sentenced in federal court for an alleged tax scheme involving more than $58,000 in public funds in addition to several charges relating to theft and insurance fraud.
Landon Pilkey, 35, appeared in U.S. District Court on Oct. 30 on two felony charges, including one count of theft of public money and one count of aiding and abetting, according to federal sentencing documents.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, 18 counts of theft of public money, one count of aiding and abetting, and one count of conspiracy to submit a false claim were dismissed in exchange for the defendant entering a guilty plea on the two counts listed in the report.
Pilkey was on federal probation when the federal charges were filed and was also charged with probation violation for allegedly committing new crimes. When he entered his guilty plea on the federal charges, records indicate he also admitted to the probation violations and was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison because of them.
For the felony charges, he was ordered to pay $170,838 in restitution while the fine was not imposed. He was also placed on 60-months post-prison supervision that will take effect upon his release from federal custody.
The sentence stems from a six-year investigation that began after Pilkey allegedly conspired to defraud the IRS of more than $58,650 by filing 60 false tax returns between March and June of 2013 which were deposited into another individual’s bank account.