INDIANAPOLIS -- The owners of six central Indiana restaurants have agreed to plead guilty to theft charges for failure to collect and pay taxes on an estimated $1.8 million in sales, according to the Marion County Prosecutor.
In addition to the plea deal, Prosecutor Terry Curry said Thursday that Manuel Rodriquez Alonso and Rosalio Sanchez will pay nearly $143,000 in restitution to the Indiana Department of Revenue.
"Businesses that fail to remit the full amount of taxes due are not only neglecting their responsibility as members of their community, they are gaining unfair advantage over those businesses which play by the rules," said Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Krupp.
The prosecutor's office and the Indiana Department of Revenue began looking into the business practices of the restaurants, located in Delaware, Grant and Marion counties, after receiving a tip.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the Alonso and Sanchez used a number of methods to hide and underreport cash sales. For instance, sales register receipts from one of the restaurants revealed that the drawer was opened more than 3,200 times in one day; however, 29 percent of the time it was opened without a sale being recorded.
Five of the restaurants involved are still open for business. They are:
- Casa Del Sol Mexican Grill, 206 S. Walnut St., Muncie
- La Cabana Mexican Grill & Bar, 7035 E. 96th St., Indianapolis
- Ciudad Colonial Fresh Mexican Food, 3501 N. Granville Ave., Muncie
- Casa Grande Mexican Grill & Bar, 6732 Amy Way Dr., Gas City
- El Metate Mexican Grill & Bar, 115 S. Main St., Fairmount
The sixth restaurant, York Pizza in northern Indiana, is closed.
