CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR FACES UP TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON

The plumbing contractor, O’Connell, caused the IRS a $550,000 total tax loss

On the early hours of March 24, 2021, a Montana businessman, Thomas O’Connell, pleaded guilty to
employment tax fraud. O’Connell owned and ran Quality Plumbing and Heating, Orbit Plumbing and
Heating, and Orbit PHC, all in Great Falls, Montana.

Court documents have revealed that Mr. O’Connell has not paid employment taxes from 2005 to 2016.
Payments which were supposed to be submitted to the IRS were administered to other creditors and to his
own personal investments. O’Connell caused the IRS a $550,000 total tax loss.

Mr. O’Connell is scheduled to appear in court on June 24, 2021. He is facing a five year prison sentence
alongside supervised release, restitution, and financial penalties. Decisions will be determined by a
federal district court judge. Stuart M. Goldberg, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice
Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, Leif M. Johnson, made
the announcement of O’Connell’s sentencing this evening.

The case is currently under investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation unit. Mark S. Determan, Trial
Attorney of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Ryan G. Weldon, Assistant U.S. Attorney of the
District of Montana are prosecutors in this case.