NEWS RELEASE

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

Public Affairs Office                   Phone (803) 898-5464

Contact: Danny Brazell                  Fax (803) 898-5446

                                              Email: brazeld@sctax.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 18, 2003

Former law enforcement captain arrested on tax charges

      A former Richland County Sheriff's Department captain was arrested today on charges of state income tax evasion.

      Robert Lee Prichard, 57, an Irmo resident, was charged with three counts of state income tax evasion after turning himself into Richland County Sheriff's Department deputies. Prichard, who retired from the sheriff's office in 2002, is being held at the Richland County Detention Center pending a bond hearing later today.

      The South Carolina Department of Revenue accuses Prichard of falsifying income tax returns filed with the Department from 2000 - 2002 by claiming exaggerated business losses with the intention of receiving a larger refund. Prichard is accused of submitting fraudulent tax documents with his returns to claim more than $1 million in business losses during the three-year period. The Department estimates Prichard sought to avoid paying more than $11,500 in state income tax by claiming the fake business losses.

      Pritchard is facing up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $30,000 if convicted of the charges.

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