Howell man who ran illegal gambling business gets 18 months in prison for tax evasion

A Howell man who ran an illegal gambling business was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting to filing a false tax return.

U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi ordered Steven Bryce, 52, to pay $338,885 for restitution to the IRS for false tax returns he filed for calendar years 2011 to 2016 - part of a plea deal.

Quraishi also fined Bryce $50,000 and sentenced him to one year of supervised released following his time in prison.

Bryce pleaded guilty in March to subscribing to a false tax return one count in an eight-count indictment against him.

Bryce, the owner of Reno Real Estate & Investments LLC, was indicted on four counts in connection with the gambling business and four for failing to file accurate tax returns.

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According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bryce generated tens of thousands of dollars from an illegal gambling business he ran and had income "substantially in excess" of what he reported. He filed a tax return in July 2014, falsely claiming that he and his spouse had $112,000 in income in 2013, the office said.

The charge of subscribing to a false tax return carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Howell NJ man who ran illegal gambling business sentenced