Myrtle Beach woman jailed on tax evasion charges

MYRTLE BEACH - A Myrtle Beach woman is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Facility following her arrest Tuesday on charges of tax evasion.

According to a news release from the Department of Revenue, Esta Lewis Hucks, 47, was held pending a bond hearing after investigators charged her with six counts of sales tax evasion for the period of January 1, 2002 through May 31, 2007.

Hucks is accused of intentionally failing to file sales and accommodations tax returns and failing to remit the taxes collected, thereby evading the assessment of the tax, the release said.

The Department of Revenue determined Hucks was a hotel clerk at the Sea Nymph hotel from January 2002 through May 2007 - which had their retail sales license revoked in March 2002, but continued to operate without that license. The business was required to have a retail sales license and file sales and accommodations tax returns.

Hucks allegedly continued to collect sales and accommodations taxes but failed to file tax returns and remit the taxes collected. The Department of Revenue estimates Hucks’s total tax liability at $30,084 for the period covered.

According to the release, she faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $60,000 if convicted of the charges.

The Horry County Sheriff’s Office assisted in Hucks’s arrest.