Sumter real estate agent charged with not paying taxes

A real estate agent in Sumter has been arrested by state Department of Revenue agents on charges that she did not pay state income tax for five years.

Melissa Major Richardson, 48, has been charged with five counts of failing to file South Carolina Individual Income Tax returns for years 2014-2018, according to arrest warrants. According to the state department, Richardson earned $551,085 in taxable income during that time period and failed to pay $17,322 in state Individual Income Tax.

Warrants claim she filed tax returns for 2012 and 2013 but did not for the next five years despite making “sufficient income to require filing.” The breakdown of what the warrants state she owed for each year she didn’t file a return is $3,009, $3,393, $3,913, $3,710 and $3,297.

John Ecton, of Columbia-based Ecton Law Firm PA, which is representing Richardson, said Thursday that she filed all five returns and paid amounts due a few days before her arrest.

Tim Smith, public information specialist for the state revenue department, said in response to The Sumter Item's inquiry to confirm her attorney's statement, said he could not comment further on her tax filings because of "disclosure laws and an active investigation." He did say the charges are that she failed to file her returns by the due dates.

According to the state revenue department, if convicted, she faces a maximum of one year in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000 for each count.

She was released on bond from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.

*This report has been revised to include comments from her attorney and a response from the state Department.