Onslow County Businessman Pleads Guilty To State Tax Charges

An Onslow County businessman pleaded guilty on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in Wake County Superior Court to three felony tax charges filed by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

Jimmy John Brinkley, 50, of Swansboro, pled guilty to three counts of Embezzlement of State Property. 

Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway sentenced Brinkley to a 16-month minimum, 29-month maximum prison term, in three separate judgments, which will run consecutively. The sentences were suspended and Brinkley was placed on supervised probation for 24 months.  As a condition of probation, Brinkley was ordered to serve four days in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections, followed by 90 days of house arrest, and 75 hours of community service.  Prior to the plea, Brinkley paid $200,000.00 towards restitution. While on probation, Brinkley is ordered to pay the remaining $311,701.00 of restitution.

Information presented in court showed that Brinkley, president of Select Staffing and Labor of NC, Incorporated, aided and abetted the business to embezzle, misapply, and convert to its own use approximately $511,701.00 in North Carolina Withholding Tax during the period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023.  During this period of time, Brinkley was a responsible person of Select Staffing and Labor of NC, Incorporated, and was under a duty to collect, hold in trust, and remit North Carolina Withholding Tax to the North Carolina Department of Revenue.