REVENUE INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN GUILTY PLEA OF
MADISON COUNTY MAN ON SALES TAX EVASION CHARGES

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Ricky Lynn Perry, 51, pleaded guilty yesterday to two felony charges of sales tax evasion. Judge Roger A. Page sentenced Perry to two years of supervised probation and ordered him to make restitution to the state of Tennessee of $9,224 and pay the court costs.

On April 7, 2005, agents of the Tennessee Department of Revenue's Special Investigations Section arrested Perry on two counts of evading sales tax. The Madison County Grand Jury indictment charged that Perry hindered the state of Tennessee in the collection and realization of its lawful revenue. This is in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. Section 67-1-1440(d).

"When sales tax is collected from the public and not remitted, it is a breach of the public trust," said Revenue Commissioner Loren L. Chumley. "The Department of Revenue aggressively pursues criminal sanctions and demands accountability for such actions."

Citizens who suspect violations of the Tennessee revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).

These cases are pursued criminally by the department in cooperation with local district attorneys general.

The Department of Revenue collects approximately 92 percent of total state tax revenue. During the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the department collected $9.1 billion in state taxes and fees. In addition to collecting state taxes, $1.6 billion of local sales tax was collected by the department for local governments during the 2003-2004 fiscal year. Besides collecting taxes, the department enforces the revenue laws fairly and impartially in an effort to encourage voluntary taxpayer compliance. The department also apportions revenue collections for distribution to the various state funds and local units of government. To learn more about the department, log on to www.Tennessee.gov/revenue.

###