Friday, October 24, 2014

Caldwell Nightclub Owner Sentenced for Tax Evasion

BOISE - Herminio Harro Sandoval, 60, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced Wednesday to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to attempt to evade and defeat tax, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. United States District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Sandoval to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. He pleaded guilty on August 12, 2014.

According to court documents, Sandoval, over the past two decades, owned and operated various nightclubs in Canyon County, including El Tio Ponchos, Salon El Sureno, Fuego II, Blue Eye Club, Pachanga Nightclub, Club Fuego and La Copa. Sandoval admitted that beginning in 1998, and continuing to 2012, he conspired to fail to report $750,000 in income. At sentencing, Judge Lodge found that Sandoval derived much of his unreported income from illegal outdoor marijuana grows on public lands, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking, prostitution, and an illegal check cashing business. As part of his plea agreement, Sandoval agreed to civilly forfeit real property, bank accounts, a vehicle, and U.S. currency and coins, totaling approximately $315,335. Additionally, Sandoval agreed to a tax assessment of at least $210,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Idaho State Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Nampa Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.