Troy Man Charged With Trafficking Of Untaxed Cigarettes

ALBANY, NY (12/16/2010)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward today announced the arrest of a Troy man on felony tax crimes charges for his role in trafficking 193 cartons of untaxed cigarettes.

Robert Connors, 60, of 2 First St., Troy, was arrested on December 9 in Troy following a joint investigation by the Tax Department and New York State Police. During the arrest and execution of a search warrant, investigators found the untaxed cigarettes, which represented an estimated $9,500 in unpaid taxes to the state of New York.

Connors was charged with Possession of Untaxed Cigarettes, Attempt to Evade Tax, and Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, all class E felonies punishable by up to four years in state prison.

The defendant was processed at the Troop G State Police barracks at Loudonville, and has a preliminary hearing in Troy City Court on December 16.

The office of Rensselaer County District Attorney Richard McNally will coordinate the prosecution of this suspect.

Acting Commissioner Woodward thanked the New York State Police, the Watervliet Police Department and the Rensselaer County District Attorney's Office for their assistance in this case.

The suspect charged in this case is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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