ROBERTSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A former Springfield alderman was arrested for multiple charges — including sales tax fraud — earlier this week, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.
The department said its Special Investigations Section conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of 65-year-old Bruce Morris Head, the president of Stewart Williams Company in Springfield.
According to officials, on Feb. 15, the Robertson County Grand Jury indicted Head on one count of theft over $250,000, one count of money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and eight counts of sales tax fraud after he allegedly filed false sales tax returns on behalf of Stewart Williams.
After Head was arrested by special agents on Thursday, Feb. 23, his bond was reportedly set at $85,000.
“The Department of Revenue has always been committed to making sure Tennessee’s tax laws and procedures are applied uniformly to ensure fairness,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. “We can never allow individuals engaged in fraudulent tax activity to have a competitive advantage over honest Tennesseans.”
If Head is convicted, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $50,000 for theft of property; sentenced to a maximum of 12 years and fined up to $25,000 for money laundering; and sentenced to a maximum of two years and fined up to $3,000 for tax evasion and each count of filing false sales tax returns, officials said.
The Tennessee Department of Revenue said it is pursuing the criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Robert Nash’s office.
If you suspect someone is violating Tennessee’s revenue laws, you are encouraged to call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at 800-372-8389.