Owner of Rowdy Beaver headed to prison, ordered to pay IRS restitution

FAYETTEVILLE -- A Eureka Springs bar and restaurant owner was sentenced this week to federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution for failing to pay federal payroll taxes.

Rodney Minner was sentenced Tuesday to three years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Minner pleaded guilty in October to one count of a 35-count indictment.

Minner, 62, agreed to pay the Internal Revenue Service more than $1.09 million in restitution.

He's to report to federal prison by noon June 20.

Minner was the managing partner for four Rowdy Beaver restaurants. Two are in Eureka Springs with one each in Cassville and Branson, Mo.

Minner failed to pay more than $415,000 in withholdings, including federal income taxes and federal insurance contributions, to the IRS between April 30, 2012, and April 30 2016, according to court documents. The restaurants withheld the taxes from employees' paychecks.

"As the managing member of these entities, defendant Minner was a 'responsible person,' that is, he had the corporate responsibility to collect, truthfully account for and pay over the restaurant payroll taxes," according to an indictment filed April 17, 2017.

Minner was sentenced by U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes in Harrison.

He has filed notice he plans to appeal the sentencing.

NW News on 05/24/2019

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