The owner of Zion Outfitter, Phyllip Hallman Heaton, is set to trade expansive vistas for wall confinement after Heaton, the proprietor, was sentenced to a five-month prison term for tax evasion.
Additionally, Heaton will serve 18 months of supervised release, which includes a period of home detention, subsequent to his guilty plea earlier this year. Heaton, who evaded the taxman from 2017 to 2022, was not merely reprimanded when U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen ordered him to pay fines and restitution, which surpassed the $2 million threshold.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Heaton pleaded guilty to evading approximately $1.9 million in income tax dues after being caught in the midst of the justice system and facing charges that were facilitated by his financial manipulations. Heaton, the sole owner and financial manager of Zion Outfitters, submitted unreliable records to CPAs, which led to tax filings that were substantially understated.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah emphasized the gravity of Heaton’s actions, stating that “No one can decide they are not going to pay their fair share of taxes without serious consequences.” He did so in a firm tone.
The IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Office, Carissa Messick, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to enforcing the tax code by stating, “Deliberate actions to evade taxes is a criminal offense,” as obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The defendant promptly paid in full, with the exception of the sentence imposed by Judge Allen, which stipulated a fine and restitution totaling $2,042,906.79 for Heaton. The restitution in question functions as a warning signal to those who are tempted to skirt their fiscal responsibilities, conveying a clear message of the severe consequences that are associated with such behaviour.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent, who served as a reminder of the intricate processes that underlie the preservation of financial integrity.
