Howell Man Pleads Guilty To Filing False Tax Returns: Police

HOWELL, NJ — A Howell resident who ran an illegal gambling business pleaded guilty on Wednesday for filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Steven Bryce, 52, of Howell Township, was charged with subscribing to a false tax return. Bryce pleaded guilty to the charges before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson on Wednesday, Sellinger said.

If convicted, Bryce faces up to three years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

As a part of a plea deal, Bryce agreed to pay full restitution of $338,885 to the IRS for tax losses resulting from his false tax returns, Sellinger said.

An investigation by members of the IRS-Criminal Investigations found that in 2014, Bryce falsely stated that he and his wife had a total income of $112,899 in the 2013 calendar year. Further investigation revealed that Bryce had been operating an illegal gambling business in 2013, which had generated a significant amount of money that Bryce did not report.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 11.