By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
Rancho Chico, a Mexican restaurant in Plainville, has been seized by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for nonpayment of taxes.
According to the signs posted on the windows and doors of the business, located at 52 Washington St., the property was seized for “nonpayment of taxes and is now in the possession of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
Documents obtained by the North Star Reporter show the company and Jose Santillan of Plainville – identified as “taxpayer” on those forms – owe back taxes to the State of Massachusetts and federal government.
Santillan, who is listed under the same address as Rancho Chico, had a tax lien from the state filed on Oct. 21 for past due taxes in the amount of $7,967.27 for a period of time that ended on Feb. 28 of this year.
It’s unclear if Santillan is the sole owner of the business, which was incorporated in Massachusetts in 2004.
A second lien was also filed on Oct. 21, for a different amount that covered a different period of time. In this lien, the total amount owed was $19,131.99. The majority of that figure – $18,088.31 – is in past-due meal, beverage and food taxes. The remaining $1,043.68 due is attributed to paid family and medical leave. The owed medical leave and meals taxes are from a period ending on June 30.
A federal tax lien filed by the Internal Revenue Service on Sept. 8 shows the largest amount of back taxes due: $58,732.76. This amount spans over two years of nonpayment, with $30,320.67 owed in 2024 and $28,412.09 owed in 2025.
Attempts by The North Star Reporter to reach Santillan for comment have been unsuccessful.