From the Tennessee Department of Revenue:
The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of Bruce Morris Head, president of Stewart Williams Company, in Springfield. Revenue special agents arrested Head, age 65, Thursday. His bond was set at $85,000.
On Tuesday, February 15, 2023, 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. These indictments allege Head filed false sales tax returns with the Department on behalf of Stewart Williams.
“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 convicted, Head could be sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $50,000 for theft of property. He could also be sentenced for up to 12 years and fined up to $25,000 for money laundering. Also, he could face up to two years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $3,000 for tax evasion and each count of filing false sales tax returns.
The Department is pursuing the criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Robert Nash’s office. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee’s revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).
The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws, and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2022 fiscal year, it collected nearly $20.9 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $4.3 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.
