A Myrtle Beach woman pleaded guilty to insurance fraud in Horry County of General Sessions on Wednesday.

Sheila Gourdine, 34, of Myrtle Beach pleaded guilty to presenting a false claim over $1,000 a press release said.

Judge Larry B. Hyman Jr. sentenced Gourdine to three years suspended to time served and three years probation.

Gourdine was ordered to complete 100 hours of public service employment.

Hyman also ordered that the probation could terminate after one year if Gourdine had completed her public service employment.

Authorities said that in the early hours of July 23, 2007, Gourdine reported that her car had been stolen, then made a claim with her insurance company.

An investigation found that she had loaned her car to her stepson, who had an accident in the vehicle and fled on foot.

Gourdine admitted that the car had not been stolen and she had filed a false claim with her insurance company.

The case was investigated by SLED and Bristol West Insurance Co., and was prosecuted by the S.C. Attorney General’s Office.

The South Carolina Insurance Fraud Hotline, 1 (888) 95-FRAUD begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1 (888) 95-FRAUD      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for reporting insurance fraud, which can be a felony in South Carolina. All reports remain confidential.