KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Independence lawyer and former Jackson County politician John Carnes pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion Monday in federal court in Kansas City, Missouri.
Carnes, 69, attempted to evade paying his personal income taxes for tax years 2012-2018, according to a news release from the United States Attorney's Office in KCMO.
The news release stated Carnes put his income in an attorney trust account.
"An attorney trust account is a bank account in which a lawyer has a fiduciary duty to hold property of clients or third persons, including prospective clients," according to the news release. "It is for funds that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with representation, separate from the lawyer’s own property."
He withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from two accounts to pay personal expenses and gamble.
"From 2009 to 2020, the IRS continuously engaged in various forms of investigative and enforcement activity regarding Carnes’ outstanding tax liabilities," according to the plea agreement filed Monday in federal court.
He could face up to five years in federal prison without parole.
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