Former Sandy pet store owner charged with tax evasion

Former Sandy pet store owner charged with tax evasion

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SANDY — The former owner of a pet store in Sandy that underwent several name changes has been charged with felony tax evasion.

Robert James Young, 62, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with two counts of tax evasion, a second-degree felony; two counts of failing to render a proper tax return, a third-degree felony; and engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity, a second-degree felony.

A warrant was issued for Young's arrest on Wednesday.

Young, the manager of Pet Mall LLC, which did business under the name Incredible Pets, 8695 S. Highland Drive, failed to pay taxes in 1999 and 2000, the charges state.

"The Utah State Tax Commission made numerous attempts to collect the amounts due … speaking with Young 20 times on the phone, mailing 24 collection letters and filing 32 tax liens," the charges state.

Nearly $146,000 of unpaid taxes, interest and penalties was written off as "bad debt" by the tax commission. Pet Mall's sales tax license was revoked, according to charging documents.

In 2002, Young established Incredible Pets Inc. and continued operating at the same location, according to prosecutors. The business did not pay sales tax from 2008 to 2010, the charges state.

Again, the Utah State Tax Commission made numerous attempts to collect from Young, including talking to him 30 times on the phone, mailing 61 collection letters to him and filing 30 tax liens, according to the charges. The process to revoke Incredible Pets' license began in 2009.

As part of a settlement agreement, Young agreed to sell the store to his son for $12,000 and put that money toward paying off what he owed, the charges state. Prosecutors say he also agreed to have no further involvement in the pet store.

The commission said it received $12,000 as promised but hasn't seen any money since then, the charges state. Young still owes approximately $138,000.

The new store, CY Pets, filed a sales tax return during its first month of operation in 2010, but never filed another one up until its closing in 2011, according to prosecutors.

"Evidence shows that apart from organizing the new company and opening the new bank account, (the son) had no involvement in CY Pets," according to the charges.

In fact, Young's son lived in California during that time. The son told an investigator from the Utah Attorney General's Office in January that "he never worked there, managed the store or participated in CY Pets. He said that the company had simply been put in his name because the store had gained a bad reputation from disgruntled employees," according to the charges.

Two employees also told investigators they had never met Young's son or even knew who he was.

It was determined that CY Pets owned nearly $54,000 in taxes.

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Pat Reavy

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