Saline Co. judge booked into jail, accused of failing to file tax returns
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — UPDATE (07/13/17 6:59 p.m.) -- A Saline County judge was booked into jail on charges of failure to file tax returns after a felony warrant was issued for his arrest.
The Saline County Sheriff's Office jail records show Judge Bobby McCallister, 52, of Benton was booked into the jail at 3:20 p.m. Thursday and was released 10 minutes later.
The arresting agency was listed as Arkansas State Police.
McCallister faces charges after he reportedly failed to file his state income tax returns for multiple years.
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UPDATE (07/11/17 3:57 p.m.) -- A felony arrest warrant has been issued for a Saline County judge after he reportedly failed to file his state income tax returns for multiple years.
According to Special Prosecuting Attorney for Saline County David Gibbons, Judge Bobby McCallister is facing four counts of failure to pay or file a tax return.
Arkansas State Police began investigating the judge in June at Gibbons' request.
According to the affidavit, Judge McCallister admitted in Hot Springs County Circuit Court in 2015 that there was a time he did not file income tax returns, saying he believed it was in certain years from 1995 to 2014.
In June 2017, Gibbons issued a subpoena to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration Individual Income Tax Section for McCallister's individual tax returns between 2005 and 2016.
The affidavit says a review of the documents show McCallister filed two individual income tax returns during that time period.
The Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission's Executive Director, David Sachar, told KATV they would be requesting that McCallister be suspended from the bench during this on-going investigation.
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A Saline County judge will be formally served with charges after reportedly failing to file his income tax returns since 1995.
The Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission's Executive Director, David Sachar, tells KATV following Judge Bobby McCallister's divorce proceedings, information was made public that McCallister failed to properly file federal and state income tax returns.
Sachar states that failing to pay taxes, including the very taxes that support McCallister's $160,000 salary is an insult to the integrity of the judiciary and brings the judiciary as a while into disrepute.
McCallister did not respond to the JDDC complaint filed by Sachar back in March, he also didn't respond to the final letter sent in June, before the investigation panel voted on formal charges.
During the investigation, the JDDC Investigation Panel obtained documents, including sworn testimony, which support the allegations, Sachar states.
The information made public stems from a divorce litigation when McCallister was deposed under oath in September 2015. During the deposition, McCallister was asked about personal income taxes.
McCallister stated he had not filed income tax returns for "most of the years" since 1995; he recalled filing twice during that time period.
McCallister stated during his deposition, that he did not file his first year because he knew he did not have sufficient savings to pay the taxes. He chose not to pay because he "basically panicked," Sachar points out to KATV this could be considered an admission to tax evasion or other felony violations.
During an open divorce hearing in June, McCallister gave sworn testimony and when asked about his personal income taxes he pleaded the 5th; invoking his right to refuse to answer.
KATV has reached out to McCallister's attorney, Patrick Benca, but have not heard back yet.
