More than two dozen people indicted across 6 SC counties on tax fraud charges
Thirty-one people in South Carolina were indicted across six counties after fraudulently claiming state tax credits, according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
The defendants allegedly claimed milk and ammonia tax credits on state tax returns they were not entitled to between 2021 and 2024, totaling more than $1 million, according to a news release. Tax refunds issued to the defendants ranged from $1,000 to $30,000.
Six county grand juries handed down indictments between June 5 and July 10.
The Department of Revenue ”is committed to the fair administration of South Carolina’s tax laws,” said department Director Hartley Powell in the release. “Those who illegally claim tax credits must be prosecuted.”
Thirteen of those indicted claimed the milk credit, raking in between $3,853 to $70,000, the release said. The milk tax credit is only available to dairy farmers who produce and sell at least 500,000 pounds of milk each year. The credit provides $10,000 for the first 500,000 pounds of milk produced and $5,000 for each 500,000 pounds following that.
Nineteen defendants claimed the anhydrous ammonia additive tax credit, which is a benefit to farmers who purchase and employ additives while using anhydrous ammonia for agricultural purposes to prevent it from being converted to methamphetamine, the release said. Defendants claimed amounts ranging between $1,000 and $28,000.
One defendant claimed both the milk and ammonia credits, according to the release.
Those indicted include:
Anderson County
- Kaitlyn M. Grogan, 26, of Anderson is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document, obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000 and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $2,000 but less than $10,000.
- Allen S. Hall, 47, of Piedmont is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $2,000 but less than $10,000.
- Kevin N. Craft, 47, of Anderson is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Joshua C. Wells, 47, of Anderson is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
Charleston County
- Abigail McKelvey, 33, of North Charleston is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $2,000 but less than $10,000.
Greenville County
- Kristian J. Smith, 38, of Greenville is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Tracy A. Fore, 56, of Pelzer is charged with willful preparation of a fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Damien J. Williams, 36, of Greenville is charged with willful preparation of a fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Zjaquarious D. Williams, 25, of Greenville is charged with willful preparation of a fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
Pickens County
- Lorenzo Alba, 30, of Easley is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Eckoalexandria Atwell, 22, of Sunset is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Ashley Brazinski, 36, of Pickens is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Jonathan Childress, 42, of Easley is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Jeffrey W. Ellenburg, 35, of Central is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Michael R. Gilstrap, 34, of Liberty is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Curtis W. Johnson, 30, of Pickens is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Curtis Kay, 35, of Easley is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document, obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $2,000 and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Rebecca Masceri, 53, of Liberty is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Alxis Reece, 24, of Pickens is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Jeffery Stone, 44, of Pickens is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- William Willard, 52, of Six Mile is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Randall Youngblood, 41, of Easley is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
Spartanburg County
- Jazmin Eichelberger, 23, of Duncan is charged with willful preparation of a fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Ronnie Rogers, 49, of Wellford is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
Sumter County
- Christopher T. Pugh, 29, of Sumter is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Sheron T. Robinson, 23, of Rembert is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Brittany M. Epps, 22, of Rembert is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Sammie J. Green, 29, of Sumter is charged with willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Tyreek T. Tomlin, 29, of Sumter is charged with three counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, three counts of furnishing a false tax document and two counts of obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
- Darian C. Baltazar, 24, of Rembert is charged with two counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, two counts of furnishing a false tax document and obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $2,000 but less than $10,000.
- Jessica N. Johnson, 31, of Sumter is charged with three counts of willful preparation of fraudulent tax return, three counts of furnishing false tax document and two counts of obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000.
Defendants convicted of furnishing a false tax document face a maximum sentence of one year in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
If convicted of willful preparation of a fraudulent tax return, each defendant faces a potential additional penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500.
If convicted of obtaining goods by false pretenses more than $10,000, the defendant could face a sentence of an additional term of up to ten years in prison or up to five years in prison if the amount involved was more than $2000 but less than $10,000.
