Multiple East Tennessee Residents Arrested for Tax Fraud
SEVIERVILLE - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted investigations which led to multiple indictments and arrests Thursday for sales and use tax violations in Sevier County.
On January 3, 2023, a Sevier County Grand Jury indicted five individuals for violations of the Tennessee tax code when they provided false and fraudulent information to the Sevier County Clerk’s Office when attempting to register their vehicles and boats.
Revenue agents arrested the following people Thursday, and they were later booked into the Sevier County Jail :
- Wredgie Williams (age 67);
- Tyler Williams (age 38);
- Charles Delozier (age 27);
- Austin Ramsey (age 33); and
- Shawn Singleton (age 40).
Bond was set at $7,500 for Tyler Williams and $5,000 for the others.
If convicted, these individuals could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $3,000 for each count of tax evasion.
“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. "These indictments underscore the department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."
The department is pursuing this criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Jimmy Dunn’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 and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2022 fiscal year, it collected nearly $20.9 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $4.3 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.
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