Earlier this month, officials at the Hillsborough County Jail learned that an inmate had divulged information to file fraudulent tax returns. Upon further investigation, police learned that one of the people was the inmate’s alleged murder victim.

According to police, deputies learned that Jason Jamar Whitfield had allegedly provided the personal identification information of four people to someone outside of the jail. He also provided the person with specific instructions on how to go about filing fraudulent tax returns in the victims’ names.

Police said Whitfield, 27, told the person exact amounts to enter on the IRS form and that the information would fall in line with standard deductions and would generate a tax return check.

After learning about the telephone conversation, deputies conducted an investigation and learned that one of the victims was deceased. The deceased person was 26-year-old Michael Massaline. Massaline was shot October 24, 2011, while in the 2200 block of 131st Avenue.

Deputies who responded to shots fired in the area, discovered Massaline lying in the yard between two duplexes. He had been shot in the upper body. Massaline died at Tampa General Hospital.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigated the murder, and arrested Whitfield on November 7th, charging him with second-degree murder.

Whitfield has been in jail since he was arrested in Osceola County. His bond on the murder charge was set at $500,000. Jail records show that Osceola County has placed a hold on him, preventing him from bonding out of jail.

Since the discovery of the tax fraud scheme on May 3rd, Whitfield has been charged with four counts of fraudulent use of personal information.

The trial on the murder charge is set for later this year.

Police said Sheriff David Gee has placed increased emphasis on criminal activity based at the jails. He has placed specific emphasis on combating tax fraud at the jails.