Danville Register & Bee
Published: May 6, 2008

A former Danville restaurant owner has been convicted of failing to pay more than $9,000 in food and beverage taxes.
Thomas E. Cox, co-owner of the now-closed House of Legends Sports Pub & Grille on South Main Street, was convicted Monday of failing to pay the taxes to the commissioner of revenue’s office for three years — from September 2004 through August 2007.
He was arrested on Aug. 29 and on Oct. 30, Cox pleaded not guilty. The case was scheduled to be tried on Nov. 26. The trial was delayed three times before Monday’s court date.
Cox was found guilty of the misdemeanor charge Monday morning in Danville Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 20 days in jail, but the sentence was delayed for six months.
If he pays all the taxes and penalties — $9,129.98 in taxes plus $913 in penalties — in that time, he will not have to serve the sentence.
At the time of the arrest, the restaurant already had lost its wine, beer and mixed beverage licenses.
In May 2007, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control revoked the licenses, charging that Cox and the restaurant were “failing to keep complete, accurate and separate records,” and “that the characteristics of the food business conducted upon the licensed premises are such that the establishment ceases to qualify as a ‘restaurant.’”
Cox also is president of Cox & Goodridge Insurance in Danville and sits on the board of Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services.
When reached at his insurance office Monday afternoon, Cox said he had no comment to make on the case or its outcome.