Hugh Zeigler, owner of Zeig’s Café in Brunswick, pled guilty in Glynn County Superior Court on December 2, 2011, to one count of Conversion of Funds Collected for Benefit of State (O.C.G.A. § 48-1-5) in a case in which he was charged with failure to pay state sales taxes, local sales taxes and withholding taxes.

The indictment charged that between July 2004 and August 2009, Zeigler collected, but did not remit, state and local sales taxes for his business, except for a payment of $583.33 in February 2005 and a payment of $30,000.00 toward delinquent taxes in May 2009. He was also charged with collecting, but not remitting, state income taxes, which had been deducted and withheld from the wages of the employees of his business, between August 2005 and June 2009.

Judge Stephen Scarlett, Sr. sentenced Zeigler under the First Offender Act to ten years probation, 12 months to serve in a probation detention center if restitution is not paid within five years, and 200 hours of community service. The amount of restitution has not been determined; the State contends that Zeigler owes approximately $85,000.00 in unpaid taxes.

Assistant Attorney General Greg Lohmeier prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia. The case was investigated by Penny Dockery of the Georgia Department of Revenue.