Maryville, Tennessee- Customers of a Maryville adult video store were turned away and asked to come back later last Wednesday as IRS criminal investigators perused the business' records.
Sunshyne Video 2, 3531 U.S. 411 South, Maryville, was served a federal search warrant by the United States Department of the Treasury — IRS.
Investigators showed up at the store on the "tax matter" at about 10 a.m. May 2 and gathered evidence for about six hours, Supervisory Special Agent Jim Robnett for the IRS Criminal Investigation Division said during the search.
The Daily Times waited for a week to see if a federal search warrant was filed, but apparently information regarding the search warrant remains sealed.
Jennifer Pollard, public information officer for the IRS, said Tuesday the criminal investigation division investigates possible tax violations including tax evasion, failing to file a tax return, filing a false tax return and impeding the functions of the IRS. Pollard said the IRS also investigates crimes such as money laundering and structuring bank transactions to evade reporting requirements at banks.
"We're just here about a tax matter," Robnett said last Wednesday.
Pollard said they could not disclose details on why the IRS Criminal Investigation Division was at Sunshyne Video 2 last Wednesday.
"We were at that location on official business," Pollard said Tuesday.
Blount County Sheriff's Office vehicles were also parked at Sunshyne Video 2 during the search, and Public Information Officer Marian O'Briant said they were assisting on a federal investigation.
Sunshyne Video 2 is owned by David and Kristie Anderson. David Anderson said the agents served a federal search warrant and told him they were looking for records — but was unsure exactly why the agents were there.
"They explained they weren't there to shut me down," Anderson said. "They just told me and my wife that they were looking for some records."
Anderson said the IRS agents were "very polite" to customers visiting the "Adult XXX Superstore," informed them that the business was not closed permanently and asked them to come back later.
The adult video store owner said he is even unsure at this point whether they were investigating his actions or the actions of a past employee.
"There's just no telling," Anderson said.
Anderson said he does have legal counsel on the matter, but he said the attorney expressed a wish that his name not be disclosed at this time.
