In a recent turn of events, two men from Jacksonville have been handed down prison sentences for their involvement in elaborate schemes that defrauded the U.S. government and insurance companies out of millions of dollars over a span of several years. Travis Morgan Slaughter and Tripp Charles Slaughter, who ran a series of roofing businesses under varying names, have been sentenced to 41 months and 21 months in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as well as conspiracy to commit tax fraud, as per court documents relayed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The extent of the Slaughters' fraudulent activities was vast, deliberately designed to underreport the payrolls of their various businesses, Great White Construction, Florida Roofing Experts, and 5 Star Roofing Services, to evade payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance premiums. The court has ordered Travis Slaughter to not only serve a prison sentence but to also pay a combined amount of restitution and forfeiture totaling over $10 million, while Tripp Slaughter has been ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture totaling over $1 million. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, these actions caused "an unfair advantage in which law-abiding competitors cannot compete for bids."
Beyond the corporate deceit, the Slaughters were also found to be underreporting their personal income to the IRS, with Travis and Tripp's unpaid taxes amounting to approximately $2.5 million and $264,000, respectively. The illegal activities took place over several years, beginning as early as 2007, and were sustained through a strategic misrepresentation of wages. Criminal investigations led by the IRS, Homeland Security Investigations, and other agencies unveiled the depth of the financial deception carried out by the Jacksonville roofing operators.
The case stands as a stark example of the legal repercussions that follow the dishonest practices of business operators who choose to game the system for personal gain. Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office, told the U.S. Attorney's Office that the defendants' disregard for the law was blatant and driven by greed. He also emphasized that it was their job "to make sure dishonest offenders like these two face the consequences of their criminal activities." Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker of ICE HSI Jacksonville remarked on the additional layer of exploitation present in the case, stating that the Slaughters "also exploited the labor of hundreds of illegal aliens."
The prosecution of the Slaughters was managed by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier, with Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington handling the asset forfeiture aspect of the case.
