FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2010

Horry county resident arrested on tax evasion charges

South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators today arrested a Horry county resident on five counts of income tax evasion.

Billy Joe Hellem, 55, a Galivants Ferry resident, is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center pending a bond hearing. Hellem is charged with five counts of state income tax evasion. Hellem is accused of failing to file state income tax returns for the tax years 2004 through 2008, failing to pay his taxes and submitting fraudulent W-4 tax forms to his employers to avoid having taxes withheld from his wages. The Department of Revenue investigation showed Hellem had gross income of $356,019 during that period and his estimated tax liability is $19,576.

Hellem is facing up to 25 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000 if convicted of all the charges.

The Horry County Sheriff's Office assisted the Department of Revenue in Hellem’s arrest.

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