Date: August 22, 2022 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov NASHVILLE — Patrick Martin, of Gainesboro, Tennessee, was sentenced Friday to 15 months in prison for embezzling approximately $211,000 from the Community Prevention Coalition of Jackson County while serving as the Coalition's Executive Director, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. Martin was initially charged in May 2019 and pleaded guilty in August 2021 to wire fraud, failure to pay over employment taxes, and filing a false income tax return. According to Court documents, beginning in 2014, Martin submitted applications to an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services for Drug Free Communities program grants and received awards for the Coalition totaling $375,000 over three years. Martin was supposed to use the grant funds on behalf of the Coalition, but instead used the money for his own personal benefit, including to make an automobile purchase, pay personal bills, make home renovations, and financially support someone outside of his family. As the Executive Director of the Coalition, Martin also was responsible for paying over certain employment taxes withheld from employees' paychecks to the IRS. Martin failed to do so and used this money for his own personal benefit as well. Martin also filed false income tax returns with the IRS for tax years 2014 and 2015, failing to report the income from his embezzlement scheme. Martin was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $507,373.76, with $375,000 to be paid to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the agency that awarded the grant; and $132,373.76 to be paid to the IRS. Martin was also ordered to forfeit $211,795.84. This case was investigated by the IRS - Criminal Investigation; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury. Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Levine prosecuted the case.
