McMinn County Business Owner Arrested for Tax Evasion and Theft

ATHENS - Special agents from the Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue arrested Jesus Sanchez Friday on charges of four counts of tax evasion and one count of theft of property.

On Wednesday, a McMinn County Grand Jury indicted Sanchez, co-owner and manager of Mexi-Wing II, on one felony count of theft of property over $10,000, three felony counts of filing false sales tax returns, and one felony count of tax evasion. The indictments allege Sanchez willfully attempted to evade or defeat sales tax due the state of Tennessee through false sales tax returns filed on behalf of Mexi-Wing II from March 2015 through November 2017. Bond was set at $35,000.

“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."

The department is pursuing this criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Stephen Crump’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 2020 fiscal year, it collected $15.1 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3.2 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.

###