February 14, 2012 12:31 AM UTC

Doug Bruce Sentenced: 6 Years Probation For Tax Evasion

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #2: Full press release from the Attorney General’s office after the jump. We’ll take odds on Bruce violating his probation at some point, given his history of refusing to turn over records and this line from the press release:

As part of his probation, Bruce will have to meet 20 additional conditions including, making his computer files, state and federal tax returns, banks accounts, and every real estate or other financial transaction open to the probation department.

—–

UPDATE: Tweets Joe Hanel of the Durango Herald, Doug Bruce to the pokey after all–sentenced to 180 days total on the tax evasion and influencing a public servant charges.

—–

Details coming shortly.

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced today that a Denver judge has sentenced Colorado Springs resident Douglas Bruce (DOB: 8/26/1949) to 180 days in the Denver County Jail and a six-year probation sentence for tax evasion during the 2005, 2006 and 2007 tax years. As part of his probation, Bruce will have to meet 20 additional conditions including, making his computer files, state and federal tax returns, banks accounts, and every real estate or other financial transaction open to the probation department.

A Denver jury convicted Bruce of three felonies and one misdemeanor in December 2011.

Bruce’s sentence stems from a four-count indictment, filed in April 2011, that charged Bruce in the tax-evasion case. Bruce attempted to evade his tax responsibilities by funneling his income into the coffers of Active Citizens Together, a nonprofit he created in 2001, and failed to report such income to the Department of Revenue. For example, Bruce deposited $2 million in an account for Active Citizens Together. This account earned interest in the amount of $38,000 in 2005, $55,000 in 2006, and $85,000 in 2007, which Bruce failed to report to state and federal taxing authorities as income. During those time periods, Bruce used these funds as his own.

Bruce also was indicted for filing a false tax return on income he earned during the 2005 tax year and failing to file a tax return concerning income he earned during the 2006 and 2007 tax years.

Bruce will be required, as part of his sentence, to pay his back taxes and the cost of his prosecution.