Wesley Snipes Begins Serving 3-Year Prison Stint

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Dec 9th 2010 01:00PM

Wesley Snipes began serving a three-year sentence at a federal prison in Pennsylvania on Thursday for failure to file income tax returns. Snipes, 48, arrived shortly before noon at the Federal Correctional Institution McKean in the tiny northwestern Pennsylvania town of Lewis Run, federal prisons spokesman Ed Ross said. He had been ordered to surrender by noon.

The minimum security prison camp is worlds away from the harsh prison fortresses depicted in the Snipes' films 'Undisputed' and 'Brooklyn's Finest.' The minimum-security camp doesn't have fences around its perimeter.

The 300 nonviolent inmates live in barracks that feature two-man rooms, daily showers and double-feature movie showings Friday through Sunday. Alas, no NC-17, R or X ratings allowed, which knocks out much of Snipes' action-heavy repertoire.

The most jarring aspect of the celebrity's stay might be the five daily head counts, three during the overnight hours. And Snipes, who earned a reported $13 million for the 'Blade: Trinity' sequel, will have to adjust to earning just pennies an hour handling kitchen, laundry or other campus chores. He can spend just $290 a month at the prison commissary.

Snipes has appeared in dozens of studio films, from 'White Men Can't Jump' and 'Demolition Man' in the early 1990s to the blockbuster Blade trilogy.

None of which will score him any points at McKean, officials insist.

"We recognize that he is high profile, but we treat all our inmates the same," spokeswoman Shirley White told The Associated Press last week.

According to U.S. prosecutors, the actor failed to file any tax returns for at least a decade, and owed $2.7 million in taxes on $13.8 million in income from 1999 to 2001 alone.

Snipes, a dues-paying member of a tax-protest group that challenges the government's right to collect taxes, described himself at his 2008 sentencing as a naive truth-seeker.

"I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance," said Snipes, who had pursued theater and dance from an early age, attending the vaunted High School for the Performing Arts in New York City.

Tuesday night, he told CNN's "Larry King Live" that he was not nervous about reporting to prison.

On Wednesday, he made a last-minute request for a new trial. In the emergency motion, Snipes said that the judge erred by not allowing defense attorneys to interview jurors about misconduct allegations.

At McKean, if he reports as scheduled, he can pursue his spirituality at weekly meetings of nearly any religious group imaginable, from Wiccans to Jehovah's Witnesses to Spanish-speaking Evangelical Catholics.

The martial-arts enthusiast can get his exercise playing sand volleyball or indoor basketball, or work out on an elliptical machine or stair climber. And he can tap into his fun side through badminton, bocci or bridge.

Should he pull a muscle in a pickup game, the infirmary copay is just $2.

But it's not all fun and games.

The daily wake-up call is at 6:35 a.m. The mundane jobs run seven hours a day. There's little fashion flair to the prison-issued khakis. And contact in the visitors room is limited to "a kiss," according to the prison handbook.

Snipes has tried to delay his arrival while he takes his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the trial judge said he had gotten a fair trial.

U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges saw in Snipes "a history of contempt" for U.S. tax laws, the judge said at sentencing.

Never mind that the actor, changing course, had delivered $5 million in checks to the IRS that day. Hodges imposed consecutive one-year terms for the three misdemeanor convictions.

"Someday, every fighter loses," says the prison boxer Monroe Hutchens, played by Snipes, in 2002's "Undisputed." "In the end, everybody gets beaten. The most you can hope for is that you stay on top a while."

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Tags: Wesley Snipes

Comments

(137)

Thursday 09 December

By Katie

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I couldn't have said it better myself.

By Deborah

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Ditto Mike...

By Ed

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Snipes isn't worried, Obsama will pardon him.

By Digi

God you're such an idiot

By Clifton Alexander

Spoken like the true unEDucated man you are.

By Daniel Dell

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Gee,only a kiss in the visitors room? But when we get behind closed doors,Big Bubba needs more than a kiss!!

Well DD, sounds like you know a lot about Bubba.

This is funny, people like Halle Berry do hit and run, no jail time, lindsey lohan multi DUI's and drug charges, 19 days, Charlie SHeen, DUI, no jail. List goes on...This guy simply didnt pay taxes, and is a respectable actor, 3 years....GOD I hate this country

By D

I agree, we have the weirdest justice system. People like that idiot Lohan gets off; list goes on. I realize he should pay his taxes like the rest of us; but those driving and drinking fools need to spend some time in jail. Judges need to wakeup and stop kissing their azzes; make them pay for the crime. Drinking and driving KILLS!. What next time Lohan Drunk gets caught; the judge throws her a party. It sure seems that way.

By Kevin

So, move out. PLEASE move out.

@Kevin with people like you, that idea isn't half bad...meanwhile like most people like you...WHAT are you gonna do about it? NOTHING. So shove it

Friday 10 December

By Claudia

They can't get much money from that. But at the same time they want you and I to pay for everyone him in jail. They are not losing anything just you and I. Crooks.

By Ljackson

Maybe some folk might like to check the maximum penalty for failure to pay over 10 years worth of taxes. Snipes got off relatively light. Still, it's a crying shame that he got such idiotic advice from his lawyer(s).

By aaldrew

If he had murdered someone..he would gave gotten less time..Tain't fair.

By Gary

Look what happened to Willie Nelson

By karen

While I think its UN AMERICAN to not pay your taxes. Why is he going to jail and Charlie Rangel a multiple FELON still walking the halls in DC???

By Gene

Why is it he has to serve time when we have elected officials that have not paid their taxes and get a slap on the hand and told to pay what is due.
Elected officials must have two set of rules.

By Steve

Hell, do your time, get out early and get back to making movies. Loved all your movies in the past and you will get out and get back on your feet. Good luck to you.

By sonnype

Snipes gets three years while Tim Giethner and Charles Ringel get not one day.Some much for justice bein blind

By torchy4

HE WENT TO PRISON BECAUSE HES NOT A POLITICIAN-JUST ASK ANY JUGDE

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