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

July 22, 2003

Johnston businessman arrested on tax charges

      The owner of a Johnston chain saw sales and service business is in jail today after South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators and Saluda County sheriff's deputies arrested him last night on tax evasion charges.

      Alfred Fredrick Smith, 28, owner of Carolina Saw Shop, is being held at the Saluda County Detention Center pending a bond hearing. He is charged with seven counts of sales tax evasion.

      Smith, an Augusta, Ga. resident, never registered his business with the Department of Revenue but collected the state and local tax on his business sales from Nov. 2002 through May 2003. He is accused of failing to file sales tax returns and remit the tax he collected to the state. His tax liability is estimated at $7,159.  

      Smith was being held at the Edgefield County Detention Center on traffic charges unrelated to the tax charges. He was transferred to the Saluda County Detention Center last night where he was charged with sales tax evasion. The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division also assisted in Smith's arrest.    

      Smith is facing up to 35 years in prison and fines of up to $70,000 if convicted of all the charges.

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