Henderson Business Owner Sentenced on Theft Charges and Failure to Pay Sales Taxes

HENDERSON - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to Thursday’s sentencing of Tammam Alnajjar, owner of Family Market, located at 245 West Main St. in Henderson, Tenn.  Alnajjar, 32, was indicted on June 9.

On Thursday, Judge Roy B. Morgan Jr., sentenced Alnajjar on a Class C felony theft of property over $10,000, and two Class E felony counts of failure to pay sales tax. In lieu of jail time, Alnajjar was placed on five years supervised probation and ordered to pay full restitution of $20,716.07 plus fines.

“Investigations, such as this one, should warn retailers that failing to properly remit all the sales tax monies they collect is a crime, “Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said.  “The taxes collected from customers are property of the state and local governments at all times.  Customers have a right to know that the tax they pay will be remitted to the state and used for public good of all Tennesseans.”

The Department pursued these criminal cases in cooperation with District Attorney General Jody Pikens and his staff. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee's revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2017 fiscal year, it collected $13.9 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.7 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.  To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.