Contractor jailed for tax fraud convictions

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 | 9:25 a.m.

Ronnie Lee Ford, 55, a subcontractor hired to coat the outer wall of the Stratosphere Tower, was sentenced Tuesday to four years and nine months in federal prison for his guilty plea to tax fraud conspiracy, concealing bankruptcy assets and tax evasion.

U.S. District Court Judge Kent Dawson also ordered Ford to pay more than $1.7 million to the U.S. government and serve three years of supervised released after his prison term.

An accountant and a former Las Vegas resident, Ford was secretary and treasurer of Ramhorn Construction, Inc., and its successor Dryifs, Inc., according to court records.

Ford admitted that he and his partner, Bobby Allen, cheated the Internal Revenue Service and lied to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court after filing for bankruptcy of their company in January 1997.

From September 1995 through September 1997, Ramhorn Construction had a $12 million subcontract to work on the Stratosphere Tower, court records said.

Ford and his co-conspirators diverted $1.4 million, used false business expenses and used cash to hide their profits, according to the records.

Co-defendant Bobby Allen was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison on June 13, 2003 after he pleaded guilty to tax fraud conspiracy and bankruptcy fraud.

A third co-defendent, Stanley Greene, also pleaded guilty to tax fraud conspiracy and bankruptcy fraud. He will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Roger Hunt on Friday.