NEWS RELEASE

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

Public Affairs Office

Contact: Danny Brazell

Phone: (803) 898-5464

Email: brazeld@sctax.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2004

Chester woman charged with tax evasion

            South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators arrested a Chester woman today on charges of state income tax evasion.

            Virginia Bratton, 40, of 1766 Brown Road, is being held at the Chester County Detention Center pending a bond hearing. Bratton was charged with three counts of failing to file state income tax returns and one count of submitting a fraudulent tax return.

            Bratton is accused of failing to file state income tax returns in 1999, 2001 and 2002. She also is accused of willfully understating her income on her 2000 return. She is facing up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $40,000 if convicted of all the charges.

            The Chester County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Department of Revenue in Bratton’s arrest.

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