FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 January 2008

Myrtle Beach woman charged with tax evasion

A Myrtle Beach real estate agent was arrested by South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators Thursday afternoon on charges of failing to pay her state income tax.

Mary Denise Paddy Oaks, 55, was charged with three counts of state income tax evasion and is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center pending a bond hearing. She is the second Horry County resident charged with state income tax evasion in two days.

Oaks is accused of willfully failing to file state income tax returns from 2003 - 05. The revenue department estimates Oaks owes $6,137 in taxes on unreported income of $241,171 earned during the period. She is facing up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $30,000 if convicted of the charges.

Revenue department agents on Wednesday charged Eric Cheston Burdiss of North Myrtle Beach with five counts of state income tax evasion.

The Horry County Sheriff's Office assisted the Department of Revenue with Oaks' arrest.

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