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Owner Of Plant City Business Pocketed Tax Revenue, State Says

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 18, 2008

  Christopher J. Davis

TAMPA - The owner of a Plant City automobile accessories business collected nearly $18,000 in sales tax from customers but didn't send the money to the state, according to the Florida Department of Revenue.

Hillsborough County deputies arrested Christopher J. Davis at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday.

Davis, the owner of Preferred Automotive Accessories Inc., collected tax but failed to send in taxes he received from June 2005 through June 2007, according to a written statement from the department.

"Individuals who collect tax but don't send it in are stealing taxpayer dollars and gaining an unfair financial advantage over honest businesses," Lisa Echeverri, the department's executive director, says in the written statement.

The 36-year-old Seffner man was charged with three counts of failure to file six consecutive sales tax returns, three counts of failure to file a sales tax return and one count of theft of state money. He could face up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines, as well as repayment of tax and interest, the department says.

Davis' bail was set at 9,500. He has been released.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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