KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A federal judge sentenced former Jackson County attorney and politician John C. Carnes to 21 months in prison Monday and ordered Carnes to pay restitution of $794,540.
Carnes pleaded guilty in November 2024 to tax evasion.
He admitted he attempted to avoid paying personal income taxes for tax years 2012 through 2018, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas City, Missouri.
The news release states Carnes kept income in his attorney trust accounts and withdrew cash from the accounts to pay personal and business expenses.
"An attorney trust account is a bank account in which a lawyer has a fiduciary duty to hold property of clients or third persons, including prospective clients," the news release states. "It is for funds that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with representation, separate from the lawyer’s own property."
The Internal Revenue Service "continuously engaged in various forms of investigative and enforcement activity regarding Carnes' outstanding tax liabilities," the news release stated.
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