Wesley Snipes' 3-year prison sentence for tax evasion is upheld

Wesley Snipes' three-year prison sentence for failing to file tax returns -- resulting in an unpaid tax bill of around $17 million -- was "well within" the "considerable discretion" of a U.S. District Court, a federal appeals court has decided. Which means the sentence stands.

Though found not guilty on federal tax fraud and conspiracy charges, Snipes was convicted of three misdemeanor counts in 2008 in Ocala, Fla., for failing to file tax returns. Thirty-six months was the maximum sentence possible.

The actor, famous for "Blade" and "White Men Can't Jump" but seen most recently in "Brooklyn's Finest," has been out on bail pending the decision of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. 

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Wesley Snipes, photographed in Santa Monica in February. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

Related dispatches presented by the Ministry of Gossip:

Wesley Snipes may be helped by former financial advisor's arrest

Lots of celebrities have their day in court, or close to it.

 

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Comments

[Roger Simmons]

Three years for 17 million... Did you know that one of many companies, Goldman Sachs (sp?), earned 13.4 billion and paid their employees 16.2 billion (much of it in bonuses; that is above and beyond their salaries). Let's see, who bailed them out from the loss of 3,000 millions last year: the US taxpayer. I say free Wesley Snipes and as community service make him spend the three years and 17 million going after corporate america. (That lowercase “a” in america is because those execs don’t live in the America that I live in!) Go Wesley!

[Roger Simmons]

Three years for 17 million... Did you know that one of many companies, Goldman Sachs (sp?), earned 13.4 billion and paid their employees 16.2 billion (much of it in bonuses; that is above and beyond their salaries). Let's see, who bailed them out last year: the US taxpayer. I say free Wesley Snipes and as community service make him spend the three years and 17 million going after corporate america. (That lowercase “a” in america is because those execs don’t live in the America that I live in!) Go Wesley!

[Morgan]

Judges are such prima donnas. Probation would have sufficed, certainly in the conjunction with the exorbitant fines the IRS gets for failing to file returns. I know, I know: Rather than ask what you government can do for you (which is pretty much just take from us), we must ask (say the powers that be) what we can do for it. So this actor goes to jail and pays fines. Sounds fair to a judge I guess. Judges are such prima donnas.

[Edward D.]

How can Wesley be convicted of not filing a tax return.When there is no law on the books that says you must file a 1040?It is a voluntary tax system is it not?

[Elizabeth Forbes]

He is serving his time at Federal Correctional Institution at McKean, which is in Bradford, Pa.