By Jack Chavez, Staff Writer

(Sept. 8, 2022) Former Ocean Pines Association director and general manager Brett Hill has been charged with 16 counts of willful failure to collect, account for and pay employment taxes to the IRS, acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland announced last week.

According to the indictment, Hill, of Parkton, Maryland owned and operated two telecommunications companies and was responsible for collecting and paying to the IRS income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld from the wages of employees at both companies.

Hill allegedly collected such taxes from the employees of the two companies but did not pay those taxes to the IRS or file quarterly employment tax returns. In total, Hill did not pay to the IRS approximately $900,000 in payroll taxes related to the two companies.

If convicted, Hill faces up to five years in prison for each of 16 counts of willful failure to collect or pay over employment taxes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Catriona Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

Hill was an Ocean Pines director from Aug. 2016 to Sept. 2017 and benefitted from strong board support during a period of financial risk taking, employee resignation, employee surveillance and overall distrust.

He also served as the OPA general manager at the time, taking over for Bob Thompson, whom the board fired. He resigned from both jobs after his financial administration resulted in losses of $1.6 million against the annual budget over two years.