Updated March 1, 2019

Serapio Granados, owner of Stonebridge Restaurant in Fayetteville, pleaded guilty last week to eight counts of tax fraud, according to the Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue which conducted the investigation.

Granados, 49, pleaded guilty to charges related to sales tax evasion. Judge Forest Durard, Jr., accepted Granados’ guilty plea and placed him on 16 years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $74,539.91.

According to Revenue Commission David Gerregano, most businesses in Tennessee remit the tax dollars they collect from customers. This guilty plea should serve as a warning to those that believe they can get away with tax fraud. Our department remains committed to prosecuting tax evaders to ensure a level playing for all businesses.