70-year-old proprietor of gay bar pleads guilty in court
The proprietor of among Chattanooga's largest gay bars begged guilty Tuesday to tax obligation evasion and also consented to pay $14,400 in restitution to the state for unsettled sales taxes.
John Lewis Blewett, 70, owner of the Photos dance and also show bar on Lee Highway, begged guilty to one felony count of declaring fraudulent Tennessee sales tax returns. Hamilton Region Lawbreaker Court Court Barry Steelman sentenced Blewett to six years monitored probation and also got Blewett to pay the state for the unsettled tax obligations that were discovered throughout an investigation by the state income department's special examinations area.
\" The Division of Earnings advertises volunteer taxpayer compliance by enlightening taxpayers, boldy pursuing criminal assents and requiring accountability when taxpayers take part in deceitful task,\" Tennessee Income Commissioner Richard Roberts said in a declaration Tuesday. \"This examination emphasizes the department's continuous efforts to implement Tennessee's tax legislations.\"
Formerly called Mirage, Images was founded in 1997. On its web site, the show bar costs itself as \"the epitome of upscale within the entertainment industry.
\" We venture to service our GLBT and Gay-Friendly neighborhood, with satisfaction and establish merchant programs that will allow us to supply our clients the opportunity to assess what is taking place within our community in its entirety,\" the company website states.
Blewett, head of state of Mirage Images, Inc., was chosen to the board of Equality Tennessee, a statewide company that advocates for gay, lesbian as well as transgender individuals. In 2009, Blewett was awarded Tennessee Valley Pride's Lester Childress \"Della Reeves\" Community Service Award.
Tennessee's Department of Profits, which is responsible for gathering state tax obligations in Tennessee, went after the criminal instance in cooperation with Hamilton Area Area Lawyer General Neal Pinkston's workplace.
People who think violations of Tennessee's profits legislations must call the toll-free tax fraud warm line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).
This file may not be reprinted without the reveal written consent of Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc.
Product from the Associated Press is Copyright \u00a9 2021, Associated Press and may not be published, program, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, picture, visuals, audio and\/or video clip material shall not be released, program, rewritten for program or magazine or redistributed straight or indirectly in any kind of medium. Neither these AP products nor any type of section thereof might be kept in a computer besides personal and also noncommercial usage. The AP will certainly not be held accountable for any type of hold-ups, errors, errors or noninclusions therefrom or in the transmission or shipment of all or any part thereof or for any type of damages arising from any of the foregoing. All rights scheduled.
