Celebrity Justice
Wesley Gets Three Years!!!

Posted Apr 24th 2008 5:53PM by TMZ Staff

Wesley SnipesA judge has just sentenced Wesley Snipes to three years in prison for tax evasion. Forget black -- always bet on the U.S. government!

Snipes was not forced to surrender immediately. Instead, the judge ruled he could surrender at a later date, closer to his New Jersey home.

Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Tax Division, said, "Snipes' long prison sentence should send a loud and crystal clear message to all tax defiers that if they engage in similar tax defier conduct, they face joining him and his co-defendants ... as inmates in prison."

Snipes was convicted in February on three misdemeanor charges for not filing his taxes. The government claimed he owed $2.7 mil -- but Snipes' attorneys argued it was just $228,000. No fine was imposed, but the three-year sentence was the max he could have gotten.


Celebrity friends Denzel Washington and Woody Harrelson wrote letters in his defense to appeal for leniency. Oh well ...



Filed under: Celebrity Justice

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(Page 7 of 20)Previous 15 Comments | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

91. Notice how he was not imprisoned for railure to pay, but only for failure to file... They HAD to get him on something so he could not set a precedent for the rest of us.

Posted at 7:14PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Anti-Society

92. Just in case everyone didn't know but Federal income taxes are against the Constitution... do your self a favor and take the time and read the truth not what we are lead to believe....

Posted at 7:15PM on Apr 24th 2008 by learn

93. He was trying to play the tax game like the white folks do! Only problem for him is that he is black and not smart enough! Can't play the game, like the president GB................

Posted at 7:20PM on Apr 24th 2008 by blackjack

94. When are people gonna learn -- the one thing you absolutely NEVER mess with in the U.S. is the government's money. It doesn't matter what colour you are, when tax time comes and the government asks for it's share of your green, hand it over no questions asked. If you're already rich, hell, give them a little extra, just to keep them off your back.

Posted at 7:23PM on Apr 24th 2008 by k.suede

95. white men can't jump, but they sure as hell know how to sentence yer goddamn ass!

Posted at 7:23PM on Apr 24th 2008 by throwin chunks

96. Stop trying to make people feel like they are doing wrong about not filing their taxes lke they are comitting a moral crime! Sure their are people who will always want to steal and be greedy and abuse the system at every turn. The problem is the way we are bieng taxed on our wages in this country is just as wrong or worse! It's crap that we should have to pay someone money to do our taxes, it should not be that hard, it is wrong that you get a tax break just because you buy or own a house, it is wrong that you get a tax break just beacuse you have a kid, all these loopholes and rebates people get is crap, if you choose to donate to charity great! But you shouldnot get a tax break becasue you do! And to say if we don't pay our taxes our troops will suffer in time of war is wrong too! The way our government spends is the reason the troops suffer! There has to be a better fairer and easier way! We the People are the solution!

Posted at 7:28PM on Apr 24th 2008 by LameMZ

97. 13. Oh yeah, #10, IT'S RACISTS!!! How many white celebs have been INCARCERATED for failure to pay taxes?

Posted at 6:04PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Karen

Haven't you ever heard of willie nelson? The IRS came and took about everything he had!! And he's white!! So stfu about how whites don't ever get in trouble! I'm really sick of how some blacks think they shouldn't ever get into trouble. And when they do it's whitey that caused it on them. People be responsible for your own actions...stop blaming everyone else!

Posted at 7:28PM on Apr 24th 2008 by stupidpeoplesuck

98. Hand it over with no questions asked? That is a sad mentality.

Posted at 7:30PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Anti-Society

99. That's what he gets for turnig his back on the sistas!

Posted at 7:31PM on Apr 24th 2008 by kyenn

100. govt nailed snipes because they truly dont want the black culture of hip hop, rap and black movie stars and comedians to set a tone or example of toughness when it comes to paying the govt its due. they can slide on the n word, degragation of women, porno, rip offs, murder, thuggery etc. but will not get away with not paying the govt....simple as that. they sent a message when they really didnt have to--I mean snipes has no record, is non violent would have paid any price set by the judge to be free, or been on probation, but that did not happen.

they truly sent a message to the culture that you can act and talk tough and bad about anything you want, and probably have the aclu's support too, but dont mess with Uncle Sams money.

Not my message---theirs

Posted at 7:34PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Had enough

101. Of course, here come the comments on race. I don't care if he's black, white, yellow, orange or purple! He got punished for what he did and I'm glad. I don't earn much but I bet I'd be in a whole lot of trouble if I tried that with my taxes! I'm tired of the RICH (notice I said RICH - nothing to do with color) getting away with this tax cheating for YEARS! Hopefully, more of them will be caught and even more will think twice about doing it!

Posted at 7:37PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Laurel

102. His sentace will not be reduced. He will serve 3 years because he deserves to serve 3 years.

Posted at 7:38PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Scotty

103. I don't think we should hold it against him that he is rich. We should have had hope because he is rich, and he was in more of a position to help create change that the rest of us could eventually benefit from.

Posted at 7:40PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Anti-Society

104. willie nelson did not do 3 yrs in jail

Posted at 7:41PM on Apr 24th 2008 by baejae

105. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. APEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA NO!!!! GOD DAMN AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RUN WESLEY RUN TO A NON EXTRADICTION TREATY COUNTRY.

GOD DAMN AMERICA. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT I SAID IT!

Posted at 7:43PM on Apr 24th 2008 by PLEASE

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