Davidson County Business Owner Arrested for Tax Evasion and Theft

NASHVILLE - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of Dennis Jones, age 51. Revenue special agents arrested Jones today at Limelight, his place of business. Bond was set at $25,000.

On Monday, the Davidson County Grand Jury indicted Jones on one Class B felony count of theft of property over $60,000 and three Class E felony counts of tax evasion. The indictments charge that from June 2013 through September 2015, Jones failed to remit sales tax and liquor- by-the-drink tax collected from customers at Limelight.

“The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in fraudulent activity," Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. "This indictment underscores the Department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."

If convicted, Jones could be sentenced to a maximum of eight years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $25,000 for theft of property and a maximum of two years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $3,000 for each count of sales tax evasion.

The Department is pursuing this criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney General Glenn Funk’s office. 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, as well as the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2018 fiscal year, it collected $14.5 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.8 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.