CA Furniture Store Owner Sentenced for Sales Tax Evasion

ROSEVILLE, CA -- A Roseville furniture store owner was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to three felony counts of sales tax evasion, and one misdemeanor count for filing a false return, state officials announced Friday.

Michael Steven Rock, 63, was arrested after the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the California Franchise Tax Board conducted an investigation of his business, Rock Bottom Beds.

Officials said they found Rock under-reported both his sales tax and California income tax.

During the period of July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2012, Rock collected nearly $300,000 in sales tax from his customers that he failed to pay to the state. In addition, he did not report income to FTB of more than $77,000 for 2011, officials said.

Rock was sentenced to 365 days in jail, to be followed by five years formal probation. He was also ordered to pay $701,430 in restitution to the CDTFA and $209,499 in restitution to the FTB.

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