Feds turn up heat on owner of Norman company
Firm accused of falsifying tax data

BY JAY F. MARKS
Published: October 14, 2008

Federal investigators got more than they bargained for when they began looking at the quarterly federal tax returns of A-1 Electric Heat and Air in Norman.

The probe has resulted in conspiracy charges against the owner, Steve W. Nievar, and charges of hiring illegal immigrants against the company.

Nievar, 45, was charged last week with a conspiracy count that carries up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Nievar under-reported A-1’s payroll by handing out separate checks for regular and overtime pay, according to court papers. Only the regular wages were reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

A-1 failed to report more than $527,000 in overtime wages paid to its workers between January 2000 and February 2004, according to court papers. The company owes about $200,000 to the IRS.

A-1 Electric Heat and Air is accused of hiring illegal immigrants it encouraged to come to the United States, an allegation that came to light during the tax investigation. The company faces a fine of up to $500,000 if convicted.

A-1’s director of operations, Virginia Hudson, was charged Aug. 29 with failing to report the company’s practice of hiring illegal immigrants over the past five years. She pleaded guilty Sept. 22 to the felony charge that could land her in prison for up to three years.

Hudson, who is awaiting sentencing, admitted she accepted false Social Security cards from illegal immigrants hired by the company since May 2003. Most of those immigrants came from Mexico, she said.

Hudson was one of several A-1 employees interviewed by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents on May 29 after they served a search warrant at the company. Five illegal immigrants were arrested, and investigators seized payroll and hiring records.

Attorney Richard Mullins, who is representing Nievar and his company, declined to comment on either case Monday.