The former chief of staff to Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., has pleaded guilty to failing to file an income tax return from 2008 to 2013.
The Justice Department said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that Issac Lanier Avant, of Arlington, Va., earned more than $165,000 per year during those years, but “failed to timely file personal income tax returns for any of those years.”
Justice said Avant did file in 2006 and 2007, but said “those returns each contained false deductions.” In 2005, Avant falsely claimed he was exempt from all federal income taxes.
The department said Avant is scheduled to be sentenced in January. He faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, and fines. He has already agreed to pay more than $150,000 in back taxes.
Avant was a personal staffer to Thompson, and also worked on the House Homeland Security Committee.
