Sandpoint man guilty of embezzlement, income tax evasion

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint man is on probation and must pay restitution after he embezzled money from his employer and failed to file income tax returns, according to Idaho Tax Commission officials.

Brandon Beauregard pleaded guilty in June to a charge of grand theft, a charge of income tax evasion and a vehicle title fraud charge in First District Court in Sandpoint. As part of the plea deal, the prosecutor dismissed two income tax evasion charges and two vehicle title fraud charges.

Beauregard received a five-year sentence, but the court suspended imprisonment and placed him on five years of probation. The court ordered him to serve 60 days in jail, pay more than $18,800 in restitution to the Idaho Tax Commission and over $418,800 to his former employer, Northern Idaho Powersports.

While working as general manager from 2019 to 2021, officials said Beauregard exploited his position to embezzle money from his employer. Beauregard's responsibilities included bookkeeping and handling bank deposits, which allowed him to conceal his illegal activities.

According to the Tax Commission, Beauregard willfully evaded Idaho income tax for the years 2019 through 2021. He failed to report over $455,000 of embezzled and earned income.

“The law requires taxpayers to report every source of income, including illegal ones,” said Tax Commission Chairman Jeff McCray. “Concealing or intentionally misreporting earnings on a tax return is fraudulent.”