Lebanon attorney pleads guilty to tax, labor violations

A Lebanon tax attorney last week pleaded guilty in federal court to tax and labor violations.

Meagan Howe, also known as Meagan Hasty, 35, pleaded guilty Aug. 19 to failure to pay employment tax and making a false representation related to an employee benefit plan, according to a news release from the office of Teresa Moore, acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri. She could be subject to up to 10 years in prison under federal statutes.

Howe owns Conquer the Divide LLC, which was formed in 2015 and was previously Garner and Howe Law Firm LLC, according to a Missouri Secretary of State filing. She also previously owned Missouri Law Firm LLC and Just Ask Howe Tax Advocacy Services LLC.

Howe admitted to withholding $15,019 in federal taxes from her employees’ paychecks at Garner and Howe Law Firm and Missouri Law Firm in 2019 but failed to turn them over to the IRS, according to the release. Howe also did not pay $10,285 in employment taxes for the businesses in 2019.

Howe also admitted to falsely submitting 2018 tax returns for herself and her husband, who was unnamed in the release, and fraudulently receiving $3,775 in earned income tax credits. According to the release, she also failed to transfer $3,111 in contributions to an employee pension plan and then falsely reported about the transfer of funds.

A plea agreement requires Howe to pay restitution to the IRS, the Missouri Department of Revenue and individual victims, according to the release.