MONTGOMERY, W.Va. — A Fayette County business owner pleaded guilty Wednesday for not paying employment taxes.
According to U.S. Attorney Carol Casto for the Southern District of West Virginia, Steve Lopez, 68 of Boomer, owned and operated Ready Transport Services. The company provided taxi services.
Lopez also owned RTS Ice Cream, Coffee and Candy Shop from 2009 until 2012. Both businesses were located in Montgomery.
Lopez was responsible for collecting and paying income taxes, Medicare and IRS social security withheld from his employees’ wages. He admitted to not paying around $393,851 in IRS taxes. This included funds withheld from employees and money he owed as the employer.
Lopez faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas E. Johnston has set his sentencing for March 14, 2018.