By: Nyah Adams / News Director

The Minnesota Department of Revenue has charged a Sauk Rapids man with four felony counts of filing false or fraudulent individual income tax returns.

Officials say John William McPherson filed false income returns from 2015 to 2018 so he could claim the highest tax refund from the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and the state Working Family Credit.

In 2015 reports say McPherson claimed to earn $10,000 more than what his W-2 from his only known employer listed. For 2016 through 2018 he allegedly claimed earned income from employers who had no record of employing him.

Each tax-related felony charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both. The complaint states he owes more than $14,300.