WARTBURG, Tenn. - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the guilty plea of Justin Wayne Brown in Morgan County.

This week Judge Jeffrey Wicks accepted Brown’s guilty plea to one count altering, falsifying, or forging a vehicle title. Brown was placed on one year of supervised probation and ordered to pay fines and court costs to the State of Tennessee.

“The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, and pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in fraudulent activity," Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. "This plea underscores the department's ongoing efforts to enforce state law."

The department pursued this criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Russell Johnson’s Office. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee's revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws, as well as the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2023 fiscal year, it collected nearly $22 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $4.7 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.

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