RALEIGH – A Durham man pleaded guilty Thursday in Wake County Superior Court to tax charges filed by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

Curtis Rucker Jr., 34, of 225 Barnhill St., Durham, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2005 to six counts of obtaining property by false pretense.

Superior Court Judge Ronald K. Payne sentenced Rucker to a nine-month minimum, 11-month maximum active prison term for one count. The remaining five counts were consolidated for judgment and Rucker was sentenced to an additional 11-month minimum, 14-month maximum prison term that was suspended. Following his release, Rucker will be placed on intensive supervised probation for six months, followed by an additional 24 months of unsupervised probation. Rucker was further ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, pay court costs of $227.50 and pay restitution of $1,319.68 to the Department of Revenue. Following sentencing, Rucker was immediately taken into custody by the Wake County Sheriff’s Department.

Information revealed in court showed that Rucker filed false state individual income tax returns for the years 2001 through 2004 representing that he was employed by local businesses and had North Carolina income taxes withheld from his wages. He was not employed by most of the businesses and did not have the taxes withheld as shown on the forms. The returns deceived the Department of Revenue and caused the state to issue Rucker income tax refunds greater that he was entitled to receive.

The charges against Rucker resulted from an investigation by a special agent with the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division in Raleigh.

Last modified on: 10/31/07 03:43:57 PM .