Jones' Trial Set For April 2010
by Johnny Gunter - News Star (excerpt)

Former state Sen. Charles Jones' federal tax fraud trial has been reset for April 12, 2010, because his attorney participated in a three-month trial in southern Louisiana and recently had open-heart surgery.

Jones was indicted in February 2008 on tax fraud charges and entered a not guilty plea. His attorney, Mike Small of Alexandria, was involved in the extended trial at the end of last year. He had open heart surgery about three weeks ago, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Shreveport reported.

Jones is charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false tax return and one count of tax evasion. The indictment alleges that Jones intentionally claimed much lower amounts for his gross receipts or sales in 2000 and his earned income in 1999. He is accused of tax evasion for converting payments for his services as a lawyer into cashier's checks and cash, then purchasing property and a certificate of deposit to avoid paying income tax.