The owner of a New York tile business has pleaded not guilty to charges he failed to pay more than $1 million in sales tax revenue collected at five Long Island stores. 
Frank Procida was released without bail following his arraignment in Suffolk County Court on Thursday. He was charged with grand larceny and filing false documents.
District Attorney Thomas Spota says investigators found that between 2003 and February 2009, Procida Tile collected $1.1 million in sales tax, but failed to turn it over to state or county officials.
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Defense attorney Joel R. Weiss said there are 10 corporate entities associated with Procida, and he is investigating what roles any of those shareholders or owners may have played. He also said talks were ongoing “toward settling the matter.”
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
