Durham businessman didn't hand over $65,000 in tax revenue, state charges

A Durham businessman is accused of failing to hand over $65,000 in sales-tax revenue and not filing personal income tax returns for five years.

Preston Ray Swift, 54, who lives on Little Rogers Road in Durham was arrested Thursday on 23 felony charges. He was taken into custody at his business at 5015 Wake Forest Highway.

North Carolina revenue agents say Swift did not pay $44,000 in state sales tax and $21,000 in Durham County sales tax over several years. They also say he did not file personal income tax returns from 2012 through 2016.

Investigators say Swift directed someone to keep two sets of books for the business, and each set showed about half of the transactions between January 2016 and the end of June 2017.

The sales-tax charges are listed as embezzlement of state property. Swift allegedly didn't turn over sales tax revenue to the state and the county beginning in October 2011.

The state lost out on $44,651.17 through Jan. 20 this year, according to the warrants.

Durham County's lost revenue – $21,370.16 – was calculated through January 2016.

Agents had sworn out the warrants in Wake County because the department's headquarters are there.

Swift was booked on Thursday into the Wake County Detention Center, where he was held in lieu of $245,000 bail pending a court appearance.

This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Durham businessman didn't hand over $65,000 in tax revenue, state charges."