RALEIGH – A Nash County man pleaded guilty Wednesday, September 24, to obtaining property by false pretenses in Nash County Superior Court.

Robert Scottie Woods, 31, of 1021 Nashville Road, Rocky Mount, entered a guilty plea for filing a fraudulent North Carolina individual income tax return for calendar year 2002. The return was based on a fictitious wage and tax statement stating he was employed by Circle K. Stores, Inc. and had $2,894.09 in North Carolina income taxes withheld from his wages. The state's evidence showed that Circle K. Stores, Inc. did not employ Woods and that he did not have state income taxes withheld. Based on the fraudulent information, Woods attempted to receive a $2,797 state tax refund. The Department of Revenue did not issue the refund.

Nash County Superior Court Judge Milton F. Fitch, Jr. sentenced Woods to a six-month minimum, eight-month maximum prison term. The sentence was suspended and he was placed on supervised probation for 24 months and ordered to pay a $250 criminal fine. He was further ordered to perform 48 hours of community service during the first 60 days of his probation.

The charges against Woods resulted from an investigation by an agent with the North Carolina Department of Revenue's Criminal Investigation Division in Raleigh.

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