Steve Parks
Sure, you know that Stephen Parks of Little Rock will soon be heading to federal prison for 27 months after pleading guilty to a federal wire fraud charge related to his sale of refined coal tax credits.
But did you know that he recently dropped his lawsuit against the IRS agents who, way back in 2012, raided his Heights neighborhood home and the Little Rock corporate headquarters of his business, King Coal LLC?
Parks complained in the lawsuit that he filed in U.S. District Court in Little Rock in March — about two and a half months before he pleaded guilty — that the agents were too heavy-handed when they served the warrants.
Parks, 62, said in the lawsuit that the agents stormed into the building with guns drawn “and shouted ‘hands in the air!’”
Another example: “While being interrogated by the armed government agents, they realized [Parks] was wearing only a short sleeved shirt and shorts; due to this, the agents turned the thermostat down to its lowest setting, which caused Mr. Parks to become cold,” the lawsuit said.
Parks had argued that his Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights were violated and was seeking an unspecified amount of damages.
But the case didn’t make it very far. The agents didn’t even file an answer before Parks asked that the case be dismissed on Oct. 9, shortly after being sentenced to prison and forfeiting a total of $7.5 million in real and personal property, including restitution of $845,000 to the IRS.
Patrick Benca of Little Rock, an attorney who filed the case for Parks, declined to comment.
Parks is expected to report for prison on Dec. 28. After his sentence, he will serve three years on supervised release.
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