NEW ORLEANS — A St. John the Baptist Parish tax preparer is facing decades in jail and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines after she was named in a six-count indictment, federal authorities said.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans said a federal grand jury charged 51-year-old Sandra Raven with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft as a result of illegal returns that originated through S&R Tax Service, a business Raven ran from her LaPlace home.

According to indictment information released this week by Evans, the alleged wrongdoings took place between approximately January 2012 and April 2013.

“Raven filed fraudulent tax returns with the IRS using stolen identities,” a release from Evans stated. “The tax returns claimed false wages, and Raven directed the tax refunds and tax preparation fees to her custody and control without the knowledge or consent of the individuals named on the tax returns.”

If convicted, Raven faces 20 years of imprisonment as to Counts 1 through 3. As to Counts 4 through 6, the defendant faces a mandatory additional two years of imprisonment to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed as to Counts 1 through 3.

Raven also faces a $250,000 fine.

The IRS’s Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, deputy chief of the fraud unit, is leading the prosecution.