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Brewer accused of tax evasion

The state says the owner of the Hoppers Grille & Brewery chain withheld sale taxes.

By THOMAS LAKE
Published July 15, 2006

The owner of the Hoppers Grille & Brewery chain could face as much as 30 years in prison on an accusation from the state Revenue Department that he stole nearly $330,000 in sales tax.

According to a news release from the department, Shawn Dunlap, 40, of Trinity once operated at least five Tampa Bay area restaurants, including two Hoppers locations in Palm Harbor, one in Trinity and one in Tampa, as well as Alley Cats Cafe in Clearwater.

Investigators discovered that between 2001 and 2005, Dunlap withheld a portion of the sales taxes collected at the restaurants, the release said. Under state law, collected sales tax immediately becomes state property.

After the department obtained a warrant, Pinellas County sheriff's deputies arrested Dunlap on Monday on a charge of theft of state funds. He was released that day on $25,000 bail.

The Times could not reach Dunlap for comment Friday.

Federal court records show that he and his wife, Lucy, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005 for protection against more than $100,000 in debts. Creditors included MBNA America, the Home Depot and the Pasco County Tax Collector's Office.

According to the Revenue Department's news release, Dunlap has only one restaurant still in operation: Hoppers Grille & Brewery on Mitchell Boulevard in Trinity.

A woman who answered the phone there Friday evening said Happy Hour was over but that there was still plenty of cold beer on tap.

Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report.

[Last modified July 14, 2006, 22:04:32]