In a recent development, a former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, has been sentenced to five years in prison for unlawfully obtaining and disclosing tax returns of numerous high-profile individuals, including former President Donald Trump. The sentencing took place on Monday before U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes at the federal court in Washington, D.C., following a comprehensive two-hour hearing.
Judge Reyes emphasized the importance of the judiciary as an unyielding safeguard against politically motivated actions directed at elected officials. Littlejohn had previously pleaded guilty in October to a single count of disclosing tax return information during his tenure as an IRS contractor from 2018 to 2020.
The prosecution, led by U.S. Department of Justice attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson, deemed Littlejohn’s actions as one of the most serious crimes in the history of the IRS. Federal prosecutors, along with Republican members of the House Ways and Means Committee, advocated for the maximum five-year sentence, highlighting the gravity of the offense.
During the sentencing hearing, U.S. Senator Rick Scott, R-Florida, expressed concerns that Littlejohn was receiving a lenient “sweetheart deal” due to the potential political motives behind the crimes. Littlejohn, however, defended his position, contending that the proposed sentence by prosecutors was disproportionately high and focused excessively on deterrence.
Littlejohn asserted that his actions were driven by a sincere albeit misguided pursuit of transparency. Despite seeking a considerably shorter sentence than the prosecution’s recommendation, Littlejohn acknowledged the inevitability of legal consequences when making his decisions.
Legal representation for Charles Littlejohn is provided by Lisa Manning and Noah J. Cherry of Schertler Onorato Mead & Sears LLP. The U.S. Department of Justice is represented by Jennifer Anne Clarke, Lauren Castaldi, and Jonathan E. Jacobson from the Criminal Division.
The case, identified as U.S. v. Charles Edward Littlejohn, is documented under case number 1:23-cr-00343 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
