DENVER -- A 58-year-old Colorado Springs man was sentenced to three years in federal prison for aiding in the preparation of a false tax return, federal officials said Friday.

Steven DeHaven was also ordered to pay $141,951 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

DeHaven was charged in April and waived his right to be indicted by a federal grand jury. He pleaded guilty in June.

According to court records, DeHaven had worked in the accounting field for approximately 25 years and had been operating a tax preparation business from an office in his home.

Between 2004 and 2007, DeHaven prepared and filed false and fraudulent tax returns, often without clients being aware, prosecutors said.

"The purpose and effect of these false or inflated deductions was to increase the sizes of the refunds DeHaven’s clients would receive," a news release from the U.S. attorney's office stated.

"Fraud in the preparation of tax returns is not only fraud on the U.S. but also upon all the people of the U.S. who pay their taxes fair and square," said U.S. Attorney John Walsh.

"Taxpayers should be very careful in selecting the tax professional who will prepare their returns,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Sigerson.