Hopkinton Landscaper Charged with Tax Fraud

A Hopkinton man was charged last week in federal court with filing false tax returns which claimed large refunds to which he was not entitled.

William A. Reinertson, 51, of 3 Laurel Canyon Dr., was charged in an indictment with four counts of filing false tax returns for tax years 2005 through 2008.

The Indictment alleges that Reinertson and his wife filed joint returns and submitted false W-2s claiming that the landscaping and construction businesses Reinertson operated withheld federal income tax from wages paid to each of them and claimed they were entitled to tax refunds. The Indictment alleges that no withholdings had been made and no sums were paid over to the IRS.

If convicted, Reinertson faces up to three years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

The charges come from the time when Reinertson owned and operated out of his house on Laurel Canyon Drive. According to the Patch business listing "RLC Services provides lawn care and maintenance services for residential clients throughout Hopkinton." A release from the IRS said the business dissolved in December of 2011.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and William Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Services Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Bower of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.