Gwinnett County's district attorney said Wednesday he plans to seek an indictment against Snellville Mayor Tom Witts, who has been under investigation for allegedly failing to pay state taxes, keeping other state tax money for himself and improperly receiving payment for work his business did for the city.
Witts was elected mayor in November after serving for six years on Snellville's city council. Authorities from the Gwinnett DA's office, state Department of Revenue and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation executed search warrants at his home and Tucker-based business, Georgia Property Restoration, in late March. Laptops and other electronic devices were seized.
The case has remained quiet since — at least publicly — and no charges have been filed against Witts. But District Attorney Danny Porter said Wednesday he plans to present the case to a grand jury soon.
"Certainly before Labor Day," he said.
Porter said he hasn't yet determined what specific charges he'll pursue. Both the GBI and the revenue department have completed their arms of the investigation, and Porter expects to receive a report from the latter next week.
Porter began looking into Witts in 2013, when he received a tip that the councilman had lied on his candidacy affidavit about having paid his taxes. Porter said he met over the years with representatives from the offices of the attorney general and secretary of state to clarify the matter, which resurfaced last year when Witts qualified to run for mayor.
The district attorney said in April that the current investigation has shown Witts owes tens of thousands of dollars in state taxes that he does not have a payment plan for. Investigators also believe that, for the past two years, the mayor withheld state taxes from his employees but did not pay them to the state.
Porter said Wednesday there have also been at least two instances when Witts' business did work for — and was compensated by — the city, which violates state law. Both of those projects were valued under $10,000, Porter said.
Witts has maintained his innocence. He did not immediately return calls or emails Wednesday afternoon.
Snellville spokesman Brian Arrington said the city would not be offering comment.
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