The Black superstar who has been working at his craft for over 30 years was just ordered to serve three years on lockdown for the multiple misdemeanor tax charges he was found guilty of by a jury of his peers.It's unfortunate anytime someone has to be locked up, and this is clearly no exception.
CNN announced the decision by U.S. District Judge William Hodges in Ocala, Florida. Clearly the maximum penalty was meant to demonstrate that refusal to pay income taxes will cause you to be on lockdown, with three hots and a cot.
Snipes was convicted of three misdemeanor charges for not filing his taxes, the maximum sentence allowed, in addition to a fine up to $5 million dollars. The father of three was surrounded by his defense team earlier today arguing that he should not have to go to prison.
Snipes, who has starred in movies such as "New Jack City", "Jungle Fever", "Blade," "Major League", "Murder at 1600" and HBO's "Disappearing Acts" had been charged with felony conspiracy counts for participating in a scheme that rejects the legal foundation of the tax system. However, a jury accepted his argument that he was innocently duped by errant tax advisers and acquitted him on the most serious charges.
"The fact that Snipes was acquitted on two felony charges and convicted 'only' on three misdemeanor counts has been portrayed in the mainstream media as a 'victory' for Snipes," the government document says.
"The troubling implication of such coverage for the millions of average citizens who are aware of this case is that the rich and famous Wesley Snipes has 'gotten away with it.' In the end, the criminal conduct of Snipes must not be seen in such a light."
Despite several character witness letters written tv judges and celebrity buddies like Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington, the probation department indicated in their pre sentencing report that Snipes’ conduct could be construed as trying to obstruct the investigation. The report said that could be grounds to increase Snipes’ jail time.
"In the defendant Wesley Snipes, the court is presented with a wealthy, famous and inveterate tax scofflaw. If ever a tax offender was deserving of being held accountable to the maximum extent for his criminal wrongdoing, Snipes is that defendant," it says.
"For nearly a decade, Snipes has engaged in a campaign of criminal tax conduct combining brazen defiance with insidious concealment," the prosecutors say. "By these means, Snipes has escaped paying more than $15 million in income tax to the IRS and has pursued an intended fraudulent harm to the United States Treasury of more than $41 million."
The document says Snipes shipped millions of dollars to accounts in Switzerland, Antigua and the Isle of Man to avoid taxes.
The IRS is also seeking repayment of all taxes and interest through civil court proceedings.