Crime
Pensacola Tax Preparers Plead Guilty in Federal Court ovr Multi-Year Fraud Scheme
Two local tax preparers, Tequilla D. Nairn and D’ontrinique K. Johnson of First Premium Solutions, have pleaded guilty in Pensacola federal court to a multi-year tax fraud and pandemic unemployment scheme. They face significant upcoming sentencing hearings before Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
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Pensacola, Fl. NewsWK — Two local tax preparers have entered guilty pleas in federal court in Pensacola following a crack down on fraudulent return schemes by federal investigators in the region. The individuals pleaded guilty to charges related to a conspiracy to commit tax fraud and the filing of false tax returns , according to an announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
The Defendants and the Scheme
The defendants, both residents of Pensacola, operated their scheme through a local tax return preparation business:
- Tequilla D. Nairn (formerly known as Tequilla D. Robinson), 37, owned and operated First Premium Solutions in Pensacola.
- D’ontrinique K. Johnson (formerly known as D’ontrinique K. Wilkerson), 30, worked as a tax preparer under Nairn’s employment at the business.
According to court records, Nairn and Johnson conspired between 2021 and 2023 to routinely prepare and submit fraudulent federal income tax returns for their clients, as well as fraudulent personal returns. The operation intentionally falsified returns by including fabricated business information and credits that clients never actually provided. Collectively, this conspiracy kept the IRS from collecting more than $192,000 in owed federal taxes.
In a separate action, federal investigators also discovered that Nairn had fraudulently filed for and received COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits from both Virginia and Florida during 2020 and 2021. She obtained these benefits while actively earning income as a tax preparer.
The Charges
The explicit federal charges the defendants pleaded guilty to include:
- Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to aid or assist in the preparation of false tax returns and to steal government money, as well as multiple counts of filing a false tax return.
- Nairn additionally pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Sentencing Timelines and Penalties
The upcoming sentencing hearings will take place at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. The court has scheduled the hearings as follows:
- D’ontrinique K. Johnson is scheduled for sentencing on July 28, 2026, at 1:00 P.M.
- Tequilla D. Nairn is scheduled for sentencing on October 8, 2026, at 9:00 A.M.
Both individuals face significant prison terms. On the conspiracy charge, they each face up to 5 years in federal prison, in addition to up to 3 years for each count of filing a false tax return.
Because of her additional charges, Nairn faces much steeper penalties. She faces up to an additional 20 years for the wire fraud charge, and a mandatory consecutive 2-year prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge.
The multi-year investigation was handled jointly by the IRS Criminal Investigation unit and the FBI. The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
For subsequent updates regarding federal court proceedings, regional public safety alerts, and community news across Escambia County, keep your browser locked to pensacola.newswk.com.
Related: DAILY MORNING BRIEF Thursday, July 16, 2026
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