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ITHACA, N.Y. — A downtown Ithaca business owner was sentenced to probation Wednesday afternoon after pleading guilty in September to committing over $130,000 worth of tax fraud over about a seven-year period.
Jonathan Pargh pleaded guilty to felony third-degree grand larceny as part of a plea deal to land him three years of probation. He could have faced a prison sentence of 28 months to seven years.
Pargh was the owner of the head shop “3-D Light” and the women’s clothing store “Loose Threads” on the Commons.
He was originally charged with felonies for third-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal tax fraud.
In court, Pargh’s lawyer David Bruffett argued to have portions of probation dismissed, such as mandatory check-ins for alcohol and drug use, as well as 150 hours of required community service.
Judge John Rowley agreed to dismiss those requirements, saying, “This is more of a precaution than, I think, necessary.”
He said he realize that Pargh confessed to committing a “giant” mistake.
Court records stated, “The defendant (Pargh) then admitted to that he provided ‘imaginary’ sales figures to Michelle Pargh for use in the preparation of the sales tax returns, that he knowingly under-reported the taxable sales of 3-D Light, and that his underreporting was motivated by ‘greed.’”
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