Clayton v. Commissioner

102 T.C. No. 25, 102 T.C. 632, 1994 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 27
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedApril 18, 1994
DocketDocket Nos. 9566-91, 12929-91, 12978-91
StatusPublished
Cited by316 cases

This text of 102 T.C. No. 25 (Clayton v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Clayton v. Commissioner, 102 T.C. No. 25, 102 T.C. 632, 1994 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 27 (tax 1994).

Opinion

Nims, Judge:

In these consolidated cases respondent determined income tax deficiencies and additions to tax as follows:

Taxable Year 1989

Addition to tax sec. Petitioners Deficiency 6663(a)

David G. Clayton and

Barbara A. Clayton $32,598 $24,449

(Except as otherwise noted, all section references are to sections of the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years in issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.)

For 1989, respondent’s answer asserts, in the alternative to the addition to tax under section 6663(a), a 20-percent addition to tax under section 6662.

Taxable Year 1990

Additions to tax

Petitioner Deficiency Sec. 6651(f) Sec. 6654

David G. Clayton $18,549 $2,580 $1,097

Barbara A. Clayton 17,559 2,432 1,033

As to David G. Clayton (petitioner) for 1990, respondent’s answer asserts, in the alternative to the addition to tax under section 6651(f), a 25-percent addition to tax under section 6651(a), and, in the alternative to the addition to tax under section 6651(f) or section 6651(a), a 75-percent addition to tax under section 6663.

As to Barbara A. Clayton (Mrs. Clayton) for 1990, respondent’s answer asserts, in the alternative to the addition to tax under section 6651(f), a 25-percent addition to tax under section 6651(a), and, in the alternative to the addition to tax under section 6651(f) or section 6651(a), a 75-percent addition to tax under section 6663.

As to both petitioners, respondent also asserts, in the alternative to the foregoing, additions to tax under section 6662(b)(1) and (2).

At trial, respondent made a concession as to the amount of the deficiency for both petitioners for 1990 based upon a “wagering season” of 24 weeks rather than 26 weeks. Respondent also conceded the fraud issue as to Mrs. Clayton.

The issues for decision are:

(1) Whether petitioners received unreported taxable income in 1989;

(2) whether petitioners received unreported taxable income in 1990;

(3) whether petitioner received unreported interest income in 1990 in the amount of $3,016;

(4) whether petitioner fraudulently and with intent to evade tax failed to report taxable income received from bookmaking activities in 1989;

(5) in the alternative whether, for purposes of section 6662(b)(1), petitioners’ underpayment of tax for 1989 is attributable to negligence or disregard of rules and regulations, or, for purposes of section 6662(b)(2), constitutes a substantial understatement of income tax;

(6) whether, for purposes of section 6651(f), petitioner fraudulently failed to file an income tax return for 1990;

(7) in the alternative to section 6651(f) for 1990, whether, for purposes of section 6651(a), petitioners’ failure to file a timely return for 1990 was due to willful neglect;

(8) in the alternative to sections 6651(f) and 6651(a), whether for 1990 petitioner, for purposes of section 6663, fraudulently and with intent to evade tax failed to report taxable income received from bookmaking activities;

(9) in the alternative to section 6651(f), 6651(a), and section 6663(a) for 1990, whether, for purposes of section 6662(b)(1), petitioners’ underpayment of tax for 1990 is attributable to negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, or, for purposes of section 6662(b)(2), constitutes k* substantial understatement of income tax;

(10) whether petitioners are liable for the addition to tax pursuant to section 6654 for failing to make sufficient estimated tax payments for 1990.

Mrs. Clayton concedes that she received unreported interest income in 1990 in the amount of $50.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Petitioners resided at 5114 Montecito Drive, Bakersfield, California (petitioners’ residence) when they filed their petitions in this case. Their 1989 joint return was timely filed.

On January 27, 1991, petitioners’ residence was raided by officers of the Bakersfield, California, Police Department and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service. Simultaneously, the Bakersfield police also raided the residence of Michael Martini, Sr. (Martini), at 4213 McKelvey Court in Bakersfield (the Martini residence).

At both premises the police officers discovered and seized miscellaneous bookmaking paraphernalia and wagering records. These included “pay and collect” sheets, a “proposition bets” sheet, a “top sheet”, $4,845 in cash, several books relating to bookmaking, and miscellaneous other items. At petitioners’ residence the police discovered four telephones in close proximity to each other.

One of the Bakersfield police officers searching petitioners’ residence found evidence that calls from petitioners’ telephones were capable of being forwarded to a telephone at the Martini residence. Next to one of the telephones the police officer found an envelope with a phone number belonging to petitioner written on it. Also written on the envelope was a note stating that petitioner’s phone number was “on”, with a small arrow drawn to a second phone number, which belonged to Martini.

At the Martini residence the officers found various items relating to bookmaking in a room that appeared to be an office. One of the telephones in the “office” at the Martini residence had a speed dialing feature with the ability to store several numbers. Petitioner’s initials, “DC”, were marked in red ink on one of those numbers. Out of approximately 14 numbers on the speed dial phone, only two were marked in red. .

One of the Bakersfield police officers who was searching the Martini residence pressed the number marked “DC” and made telephonic contact with a police officer who was at petitioners’ residence. A police officer seized 11 audio cassette tapes at the Martini residence containing the voices of Martini and petitioner accepting wagers over the telephone.

By going through bank records seized at petitioners’ residence, the police discovered that petitioners held two safe deposit boxes in Bakersfield, California, and one in Salinas, California. The police seized $31,080 in U.S. currency from petitioners’ safe deposit box number 645 at First Interstate Bank, 456 South Main Street, Salinas, California, and $12,800 in U.S. currency, and cashier’s checks and money orders totaling $11,815, from petitioners’ safe deposit box 434 at California Republic Bank, 3743 Columbus Street, Bakersfield, California. The police also seized $33,074 in U.S. currency and a receipt for a cashier’s check in the name of Mrs. Clayton in the amount of $25,000 from safe deposit box number 319 in petitioners’ name at California Republic Bank, 246 Bernard Street, Bakersfield, California.

At the time of the raid the police arrested petitioners on charges of bookmaking, recording a wager, and allowing a location for bookmaking.

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Bluebook (online)
102 T.C. No. 25, 102 T.C. 632, 1994 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 27, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/clayton-v-commissioner-tax-1994.