Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin recently honored several individuals and organizations at the 8th annual Justice Awards. Among those honored was East Greenwich resident David Sullivan in his position as Tax Administrator for the RI Division of Taxation.
The Justice Awards are given to individuals and community organizations in recognition of an extraordinary commitment to justice and the community. They are presented in honor of the eight previous Attorneys General.
As Tax Administrator, David Sullivan led the team that unearthed a contraband cigarette smuggling ring in Providence. A nearly year-long investigation by the Rhode Island State Police, Homeland Security, ATF and the Division of Taxation culminated in the arrests of three individuals and the seizure of 121,000 packs of contraband cigarettes in the sweep with either no tax stamp or counterfeit tax stamps. It is believed to be the largest such operation and investigation in the Division's history.
For the individual and collective efforts of David Sullivan and his colleagues, they each received the former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse Justice Award for Consumer Protection.
"Most people associate the Division of Taxation as the evil agency looking to take your money. In fact, it is their good investigative work that led to the demise of a major criminal enterprise that was illegally siphoning taxpayer dollars," said Attorney General Kilmartin.