New charges hit convicted tax preparer

SANTA FE (KRQE) - A Silver City tax preparer already serving time in federal prison now faces a 56-count state indictment alleging tax and computer fraud.

The indictment handed up on Tuesday alleges Douglas Jeffrey Kuester obtained more than $72,000 by filing false tax returns based on stolen identities.

According to the state Taxation and Revenue Department Kuester stole the identities of 18 friends and strangers and used those to filing bogus tax returns for the 2009 and 2010 tax years.

The returns claimed nonexistent withholding from oil and gas proceeds, and refunds were deposited to different bank accounts and prepaid debit cards.

Kuester has yet to appear in court and enter a plea to the charges.

If convicted on all counts, Kuester faces a maximum sentence of 150 years in prison and fines totaling $280,000.

In November Kuester was sentenced to four years in prison and more than $900,000 in restitution on federal convictions for filing false federal claims and aggravated identity theft, according to a statement released by the Taxation and Revenue Department on Thursday.