CONTRACTOR CRIMINALLY CHARGED

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today the filing of tax evasion charges against James Stadler, 50, owner of Masco Contractors, Incorporated. Stadler, who lives in the 11000 block of Reynolds Road in Kingsville, was charged in Baltimore City Circuit Court with filing false Personal Property Tax Returns on behalf of his company for the years 2002 and 2003.

Specifically, Stadler is charged with falsely declaring under penalties of perjury that his company had no income in those years when in fact, the corporation was paid $37,715 in 2002 and $27,880 in 2003 by the State of Maryland for construction work at two Maryland State Police weigh station facilities.

The maximum sentence upon conviction is 18 months incarceration and a fine of $5,000. The charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was referred to the Criminal Investigations Division of the Attorney General’s Office by the Office of the Legislative Auditor. Arraignment on the charge is set for June 8, 2005.

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