A local restaurant owner has pled guilty to charges of stealing 196-thousand dollars in sales taxes collected from customers over a three year period.

That's according to the State Tax Department, which says that 65 year old Robert Bryant of West Henrietta owns the Fruit and Salad Company in Pittsford. He also had co-owned Joshua, which operated the Hicks and McCarthy restaurant in Piittsford. That restaurant was sold last year.

Bryant pled guilty to 21 felony counts including grand larceny and tax fraud. When he is sentenced, he could face anywhere from probation to 15 years in state prison.

Bryant was also ordered to begin repaying the sales tax money he owes.