The former owner of a Rio sausage shop was sentenced to a year in federal prison Thursday and ordered to pay more than $300,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to tax avoidance, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Christa Johnson, 57, of Cambria, pleaded guilty to one count of not paying employee withholding taxes for the third quarter of 2016, although a 17-count federal indictment handed down in June alleged she violated three tax-related crimes from 2013-16, including seven counts of withholding taxes from employees' checks but not sending them to the IRS.
Nothing says Memorial Day Weekend like a brat fresh from the grill. But few things divide Wisconsinites more than the proper to eat a brat. Purists insist on mustard (although whether it's brown or yellow provokes its own debate). For many ketchup eaters, the condiment is a comforting throwback to childhood. Sour kraut harkens to the sausage's Germanic roots. Cheese? Well, you're on your own there. In May 2021, we interviewed several patrons and employees at State Street Brats on how they take their brat.
She was ordered to pay $326,905 to the IRS as well as a $25,000 fine.
Johnson owned Johnson Sausage Shoppe Inc., a meat-processing plant, grocery store and catering business, since 1996, the Attorney's Office said in a news release. As president of the shop, Johnson was responsible for all aspects of its business operations.
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The shop remains open but an employee who answered the phone there Thursday night, but refused to give her name, said the shop's ownership has been transferred to a trust.
Photos from Saturday's WIAA Division 2 wrestling regional tournament at Lodi High School
Zane Licht
Lodi's Zane Licht (left) and Portage's Lowell Arnold compete in the finals at 152 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Brock Beyer
Lodi heavyweight Brock Beyer reacts after pinning Portage's Javier Moytol-Hernandez in overtime in the finals at Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament his team played host to.
Jackson Whitney
Mauston/Necedah's Jackson Whitney (right) tries to control Rio/Cambria-Friesland/Fall River/Randolph's Alex Yelk in the finals at 138 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School. Whitney won, 5-2.
Chandler Curtis
Lodi's Chandler Curtis (top) looks up at the scoreboard during his match against Portage's Landon Heitmeier in the finals at 132 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Alex Yelk
Rio/Cambria-Friesland/Fall River/Randolph's Alex Yelk (right) competes in the finals at 138 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Brandon Dolata
Mauston/Necedah's Brandon Dolata (right) tries to get in position for a reversal before doing so then pinning Lodi's Kylar Clemens in the finals at 145 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Lowell Arnold, Zane Licht
Portage's Lowell Arnold (left) and Lodi's Zane Licht compete in the finals at 152 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Logan Olmsted, Mason Lane
Lodi's Mason Lane (right) and Rio/Cambria-Friesland/Fall River/Randolph's Logan Olmsted compete in the finals at 160 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Logan Olmsted, Mason Lane
Rio/Cambria-Friesland/Fall River/Randolph's Logan Olmsted (left) and Lodi's Mason Lane compete in the finals at 160 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Espyn Sweers, Jordan Starr
Portage's Jordan Starr (back) and Mauston/Necedah's Espyn Sweers compete in the finals at 170 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Espyn Sweers
Mauston/Necedah's Espyn Sweers (right) competes in the finals at 170 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Jordan Starr
Portage's Jordan Starr (top) competes against Mauston/Necedah's Espyn Sweers in the finals at 170 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Dalton Hoehn
Mauston/Necedah's Dalton Hoehn (front) competes against Wisconsin Dells' Dylan Warren in the finals at 182 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Dylan Warren, Dalton Hoehn
Wisconsin Dells' Dylan Warren (bottom) and Mauston/Necedah's Dalton Hoehn compete in the finals at 182 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Jack Callen, Isaiah Groskopf
Portage's Jack Callen (top) tries to turn Lodi's Isaiah Groskopf in the finals at 195 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Wyatt Ripp
Lodi's Wyatt Ripp (left) competes with Portage's Pierce Kristof in the finals at 220 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Pierce Kristof
Portage's Pierce Kristof (top) competes with Lodi's Wyatt Ripp in the finals at 220 pounds during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
Javier Moytol-Hernandez
Portage's Javier Moytol-Hernandez (bottom) fights to keep from being pinned during his bout with Lodi's Brock Beyer in the heavyweight finals during Saturday's WIAA Division 2 regional tournament at Lodi High School.
