RALEIGH – A local businessman was arrested June 14 on felony tax charges filed by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

Larry Douglas Cooke Jr., 42, of Main Street, Aulander, was charged with two counts of Embezzlement of State Property and one count of Embezzlement of Bertie County tax.

Arrest warrants allege that Cooke aided and abetted Cooke Technology Systems, Inc. to embezzle and misapply and convert to its own use $1,516 in North Carolina withholding tax during the period of January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.

Additional warrants allege that Cooke aided and abetted Cooke Technology Systems, Inc. to embezzle and misapply and convert to its own use $2,738.30 in North Carolina sales tax and $1,241.60 in Bertie County tax during the period January 1, 2011 through February 28, 2013.

Cooke was the President of Cooke Technology Systems, Inc., during the period of time in question.

The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald contacted the NC Department of Revenue seeking clarification to the allegation that Cooke misused Bertie County tax as his business is located in the AhoskieCommonsShopping Center. Trevor Johnson, NCDOR’s Director of Public Affairs, said the information contained in the press release was accurate.

Cooke appeared before a Wake County magistrate and was placed under a $30,000 bond.  A first appearance was scheduled for June 17 in Wake County District Court in Raleigh.

The charges against Cooke resulted from an investigation by a Special Agent with the Department’s Criminal Investigations Section in Raleigh.