Pikeville TN store-owner arrested for tax evasion

March 29, 2016 at 7:29 p.m. | Updated March 29, 2016 at 7:31 p.m.

by Emmett Gienapp

FILE - This April 13, 2014, file photo, shows the Internal Revenue Service headquarters building in Washington. Efforts to combat an escalating tax fraud problem are keeping thousands of legitimate filers from receiving their much-anticipated injection of tax return cash. Tax filers who opt to have their refund deposited directly onto debit cards are finding their cards frozen. The IRS said refund fraud caused by identity theft is one of its biggest challenges. In 2015, it stopped 1.4 million confirmed identity theft returns, totaling $8.7 billion. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)
FILE - This April 13, 2014, file photo, shows the Internal Revenue Service headquarters building in Washington. Efforts to combat an escalating tax fraud problem are keeping thousands of legitimate filers from receiving their much-anticipated injection of tax return cash. Tax filers who opt to have their refund deposited directly onto debit cards are finding their cards frozen. The IRS said refund fraud caused by identity theft is one of its biggest challenges. In 2015, it stopped 1.4 million confirmed identity theft returns, totaling $8.7 billion. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)

A co-owner of Duke's Country Store in Pikeville, Tenn., 63-year-old Sybil Marjean Stanely, has been arrested for sales tax evasion and could face up to 2 years in prison if convicted.

On Monday, the Polk County Grand Jury indicted Stanley who surrendered to Revenue Special Agents at the Bledsoe County Detention Center, a press release distributed on Tuesday.

In addition to jail time, Stanley also faces fines of up to $3,000 for each felony count of attempted sales 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 Richard Roberts said.

"This arrest underscores the Department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."

Upcoming Events