RALEIGH – A local businessman pleaded guilty Thursday in Wake County Superior Court to 18 felony charges filed by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

Jon Edward Sink, 58, was president of BJEJ, Inc., a corporation that owned and operated six Meineke Muffler franchises in Charlotte, Concord and Greensboro. He pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting these businesses to embezzle $466,298.87 in state and county sales taxes that were charged and collected from customers, and $106,679.64 in state income taxes that were withheld from employees’ wages.

Sink, who resides at 6035 Creft Circle, Indian Trail, appeared before Wake County Superior Court Judge J.B. Allen and was sentenced to four consecutive, 16-month minimum, 20-month maximum prison terms. The sentences were suspended and Sink was placed on supervised probation for a total of 48 months.

As a special condition of probation, he was ordered to serve 78 weekends in the Union County Jail during the next two years. He was also ordered to pay $265,589.89 in restitution to the Department of Revenue, including a $150,000 payment within 30 days. Sink must also pay a $10,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service. Sink was also ordered to file North Carolina individual and corporate income tax returns for tax years 1995 to 2002.

Sink voluntarily paid $272,075.83 toward his sales tax liability after he was notified of the criminal investigation.

The charges against Sink resulted from an investigation by a special agent with the Department of Revenue's Criminal Investigation Division.

Last modified on: 10/31/07 03:44:08 PM.