ALBANY - New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced the arrest of a Cortland County car dealership owner for sales tax fraud that amounted to more than $180,000.

Joseph Fezza, 45, the owner and sole proprietor of JF Auto World, also known as Auto World, located at 991 Tompkins Street, Town of Cortlandville, faces five felony charges.  They stem from his collection and retention of sales taxes on vehicles he sold over a period of more than five years, and his failure to file sales tax and personal income tax returns.  

The charges are: one count of grand larceny in the second degree; two counts of criminal tax fraud in the third degree; and two counts of repeated failure to file personal income tax returns.  All charges are felonies.

Fezza was arraigned on these charges and entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.  He was released upon posting bail.  If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five to fifteen years in prison.