Nevada business owner pleads guilty in federal court

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Nevada Daily Mail

Tammy Dickinson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced Tuesday that Dana L. Thompson Cavener, 51, Nevada, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to failing to pay more than $357,000 in federal taxes.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney's office, Cavener waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to failure to pay federal employment taxes.

The release stated that Cavener was corporate secretary of Cavener's Library and Office Supplies Inc., which she co-owned with her husband. The business employed an average of three to five employees during the 10 years of Cavener's criminal conduct.

"By pleading guilty Tuesday, Cavener admitted that she withheld federal income taxes, Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes from the wages of her employees, but willfully failed to pay over those taxes to the IRS from 2001 to 2011. The total tax loss was $375,025," according to the release.

Under federal statues, Cavener is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

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Wow, my jaw dropped when i heard this. NEVER would have suspected this from her.Thoughts and prayers to her family during this difficult time.

-- Posted by underthepaw on Wed, Oct 15, 2014, at 8:44 AM
I'd be careful not to cast stones. I would venture to say that if all the "businesses" in any town were scrutinized by the IRS more than your jaws might drop. As we have recently learned and a lot of us already suspected. The IRS is possible the most criminal organization in the land. Do as they say not as they do. How many high ranking officials locally and nationally have done far worse and get off with nothing but a little bad publicity? I'm not making excuses but I certainly understand the temptation to "keep" a little of our hard earned dollars for ourselves. Doesn't make it right and I would not condone it, but I certainly understand. My two cents is simple. Pay the parasites what they say you owe and move on. Thank goodness God is more forgiving than the US government or the IRS. Oh and by the way if you were an illegal alien or hiring illegal aliens you probably would not have gotten in any trouble. Smiley face inserted here!!!

-- Posted by Criticalthoughts on Wed, Oct 15, 2014, at 9:50 AM
Wow, she willingly did this every single month for 10 years. How come the husband is not getting in trouble, he also had to of known this was going on. I feel sorry for all the employees that will not get credit toward their social security earnings. That is a lot of money $357,000. They should make them liquidate their assets to pay for this. Greed is evil. I feel sorry for the rest of their family that has to go through this, but for Dana and her husband, there is no excuse for stupidity.

-- Posted by stingray on Wed, Oct 15, 2014, at 12:30 PM
AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF CAVENERS, I CAN SAY WITHOUT ANY RESERVATIONS THAT IT COULDNT HAPPEN TO A NICER PERSON... I GUESS YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. KENNY HALE/DELIVERY DRIVER 2009-2010

-- Posted by krhale on Thu, Oct 16, 2014, at 7:43 AM
Critical Thoughts: Have you thought critically about the fact that she stole from her employees? Yes, she STOLE from her employees. You make it sound like stealing is ok. Just because the IRS is criminal does not make it ok for one to be criminal. How sad that she would take it from her employees, the hourly wage earner's retirement, I believe that is defined as bullying. No wonder our social security system is failing. People, I should say thieves, who feel the rules don't apply to them are a part of this dooming system. Stingray is right, greed is evil. Shame Shame Shame

-- Posted by wootwoot on Fri, Oct 17, 2014, at 6:10 AM
HALLALUAH!!!!!!!

-- Posted by krhale on Fri, Oct 17, 2014, at 7:28 AM
My only correction to wootwoot's comment is I would say they and not she. I don't know why she is taking the fall for this but I will never believe this was a one man show.

-- Posted by ccmom on Fri, Oct 17, 2014, at 12:19 PM
Criticalthoughts, No one has cast stones, she plead guilty to 10 years of theft. I just wonder how the employees were paid and if they received W-2's or 1099's. Technically, they have probably also failed to pay the correct taxes if she falsified the records.

-- Posted by callijo on Fri, Oct 17, 2014, at 5:45 PM
They (I stand corrected CCMOM) didn't keep THEIR hard earned money, they kept THEIR EMPLOYEES' hard earned money.

-- Posted by wootwoot on Fri, Oct 17, 2014, at 8:43 PM
I would assume a great deal of the $ was the social security taxes on themselves and their salaries. It seems that everyone knows that Greg is guilty of knowing what was going on. I am in business and pay a great deal of fica taxes. There are parts of my business that I am very involved in and there are parts that I am not and I depend on others to handle. He may really not have known.

I know what she did is wrong, but I pray that she does not go to jail. She has 3 children including one in high school. I cannot imagine being that age and having your mother go to jail. I agree she needs to be punished and pay for her crime, but jail is not going to solve anything and it sure is not going to allow her to repay her debts.

This whole thing makes me so sad and I cannot get it out of my mind. I cannot imagine what is driving so many things like this in our area. We(Nevada) have made the news too much lately on large morality issues.

-- Posted by speedy on Sat, Oct 18, 2014, at 6:52 AM
No one said that what she (they) did was right? Are you so blind that you couldn't understand what I was saying? Hypocrites !!!

-- Posted by Criticalthoughts on Mon, Oct 20, 2014, at 4:29 PM
She should destroy her computer and say it crashed and then plead the 5th.. Seems to work for her accusers

-- Posted by HankRearden on Mon, Oct 20, 2014, at 11:01 PM
She probably won't go to jail. They want the money back and realize that it would be hard to do if she's in jail.

-- Posted by danadre0101 on Tue, Oct 21, 2014, at 10:19 AM
Criticalthoughts: Oh brother! Rolling eyes inserted here!!!

-- Posted by wootwoot on Tue, Oct 21, 2014, at 8:19 PM
Never look down on another person unless it is to help them up.....

We are all flawed....

-- Posted by Big Paulie on Tue, Oct 21, 2014, at 9:24 PM
Jb books: maybe Dana should heed your advice.;)

-- Posted by Junekittykat on Tue, Oct 21, 2014, at 9:29 PM
JB Brooks, nice comment, so true :-)

-- Posted by danadre0101 on Wed, Oct 22, 2014, at 11:23 AM
This is just another fine example of how the rich/popular people in Vernon County are sure to let the less fortunate people in Vernon County know where they stand in this world. I wonder what her reasoning was, or if she has even had the audacity to apologize to her employees.

-- Posted by Standingproud1 on Thu, Oct 23, 2014, at 8:07 PM
I'm sure Dana and Greg have a good reason, just like the two previous times they were caught.

-- Posted by Junekittykat on Fri, Oct 24, 2014, at 11:28 AM

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