Owner of sports memorabilia shop sentenced on tax charges

SEATTLE  — The owner of two Washington state sports memorabilia and card gaming shops was sentenced to 30 days in prison and 10 months of home detention for failing to pay taxes on more than 50 employees.

U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes says Donald Knutsen must also pay about $235,000 in restitution.

He was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Knutsen owned Northwest Sportscards in Pierce County. He also had sites in Tacoma and University Place, Washington.

He pleaded guilty in April. He admitted that he withheld income, Social Security and Medicare taxes from the paychecks of at least 51 workers, but failed to accurately report and pay the taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

Knutsen must spend three years on supervised release after he completes his home detention.