Ashland City, TN – The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to Jimmy Ray Butts pleading guilty to tax charges.
Judge Joshua Turnbow accepted Butts’ plea to tax charges stemming from his fraudulent vehicle registration at the Cheatham County Clerk’s Office. Butts was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution of $1,853.
“The Department of Revenue strives to promote voluntary compliance of Tennessee’s tax laws by educating taxpayers and pursuing criminal sanctions for accountability of fraudulent actors,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. “This guilty plea underscores the department’s efforts to ensure fair administration of Tennessee’s tax laws.”
The department pursued this criminal case in cooperation with General Ray Crouch Jr.’s Office. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee’s revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hotline at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).
The Department of Revenue is responsible for administering state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws, as well as collecting taxes and fees associated with these laws. The department collects around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2024 fiscal year, it collected nearly $22.2 billion in state taxes and fees, as well as more than $4.7 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.
