News from New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

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Tax Agents Nab Five Men In Western New York For Possession Of 15,000 Cartons Of Unstamped Cigarettes

ALBANY, NY (06/18/2008; 1611)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Commissioner Robert L. Megna today announced that five out-of-state men were recently arrested in two separate cases for possessing about 15,000 cartons of illegal cigarettes.

Three of the men are from Michigan and the other two live in Kentucky. All face felony charges of possession of unstamped cigarettes and attempt to evade the cigarette tax. If convicted of the charges, each man could receive between four and seven years in prison.

In the first case, Rodney D. Tiemeyer, 41, of Newport, Kentucky, was stopped by State Police during a commercial vehicle road check on June 5 at 3:30 a.m. on I-86 in the Town of Ellery, Chautauqua County.

Tax Department agents were called when it was discovered that Tiemeyer, driving a truck registered in Ohio, was carrying a load of 8,029 cartons of assorted unstamped and untaxed cigarettes. Paperwork found in the truck indicated that the cigarettes were being transported to a nearby Indian reservation.

Tiemeyer was taken to Ellery Town Court for arraignment on the charges. He later posted bail and was released pending a July 14 court appearance.

In the second case, Matthew John Bishop, 42, of Ironwood, Michigan, Joseph Allan Fish, 41, of Baraga, Michigan, David John Leclaire, 52, of Lanse, Michigan, and Richard S. Mayo, 36, of Richmond, Kentucky, were stopped by State Police and Tax Department agents on June 12 at about 7:45 a.m. on I-86 in the Town of Ellicott, Chautauqua County.

The men were in two vehicles: a van registered in Kentucky and a pickup truck registered in Michigan that was hauling an enclosed trailer. The men had 6,960 cartons of various brands of untaxed cigarettes that they purchased at a nearby Indian reservation.

All four men were taken to Ellicott Town Court for arraignment on the charges. They later posted bail and were released pending a July 17 court appearance.

Commissioner Megna said, "Our agents and the State Police aggressively pursue and prosecute people who attempt to profit in the illegal cigarette trade. Individuals who purchase and transport bulk quantities of unstamped cigarettes for redistribution to others violate the law, and cheat honest citizens of legitimate tax revenue."

In both cases, tax agents confiscated the unstamped cigarettes.

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