Local Dickson County business owner Teresa Overton recently entered a no-contest plea to charges of tax evasion and tampering with government records, as stated by the Tennessee Department of Revenue's investigation results. Overton, who failed to remit collected sales tax from her businesses, Teresa's & Company and Teresa's & Co. Antiques & More, has been sentenced to supervised probation for two years.
The case, which concluded last week in a courtroom overseen by Judge Joshua Turnbow, resulted in Overton also being ordered to pay $10,674.66 in restitution. As per the Tennessee Department of Revenue announcement, Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano emphasized the gravity of the offense, saying, "It is a felony for retailers to collect sales tax from the public and fail to remit it to the state." The department pursued these criminal sanctions to ensure accountability for such actions.
These enforcement efforts were part of a cooperative initiative the with District Attorney General Ray Crouch Jr.’s Office. The state encourages citizens to report suspected revenue law violations by contacting the toll-free tax fraud hotline. The initiative underscores Tennessee's anti-tax evasion stance, ensuring compliance with state tax regulations.
The responsibility of administering state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws fall under the purview of the Department of Revenue. With collections amounting to approximately 87 percent of the state's total revenue, they brought in over $22.2 billion in state taxes and fees during the 2024 fiscal year, which also encompassed more than $4.7 billion for local governments. For more information, individuals can visit the revenue department's website.
