left arrow BackNext right arrow
< BACK TO Fresh Intelligence

Feds Go for Max Jail Sentence in Snipes Tax Case

snipes_041508_FRESH.jpg
BLADE BEHIND BARS? Snipes (Photo: Getty Images)
In a just-released sentencing recommendation in the Wesley Snipes tax evasion case, the U.S. Attorney seethes with desire to throw the Blade actor in the slammer. He's pushing for a 36-month prison sentence, the max, and a hefty $5 million fine for a "truly notorious offender."

In fact, the prosecutor argues, Snipes should really go to jail for much longer, given the amount of money he's failed to pay, more than $15 million in taxes (100 times the guideline for the maximum sentence) between 1999 and 2001. But the law caps jail time at 36 months. Snipes was convicted on three counts of willfully failing to file income tax returns for those years. The prosecutor also claims Snipes filed a series of bogus forms and claims based on the "861 Argument," a convoluted legal position upon which a minority of tax protesters have claimed exemption from income taxes.

Oh, but you know Blade didn't stop there.

When the IRS rejected his exemptions and claims, he fired off threats, asked that IRS agents be fired, and warned, "Pursuit of such a high profile target will open the door to your increased collateral risk.... By indicting me ... the Department of Justice and the IRS are engaging in criminal activities ... this is a CRIMINAL trespass for which I intend to file a criminal complaint against you and the court if you continue in this conspiracy against my rights."

Do they know he's half vampire?

The whole sentencing memo is here.

Comments

Be the first to respond. Post your comment below.

Advertisement


Post a comment

Your comment will not be visible for about a minute. If you don't see your comment when the page reloads, do not post it again. Reload the page in a minute, and you'll see it.

 


Happy Independence Day From Radar

One Last Bear Rub To Round Out The Week

Southampton's $27 Vodka Soda

The First-Ever Vagina Spa

WSJ Prepares For Fourth of July With Insanity!

Mario Lopez Remains Partially Clothed, For Now

Rate Cuts At Gawker Media

C-Rod and A-Rod No Mas

McCain Likely Furious About McCain Rage Stories

Zimbabwe: How The Torturers Live


EXECUTIVE EDITOR:


MANAGING EDITOR:


CONTRIBUTORS:
, , and others


Email us at:
tips@radaronline.com
or IM: TipRadar







Games of Chaunce
New York's biggest gossip source is just an average schmo from Jersey

Confronting the Douchebag Plague
A helpful guide from the forthcoming handbook Hot Chicks With Douchebags

Full Court Press
Charles Kaiser on standout journalism in the latest New Yorker and this week's winners and sinners

RadLibs: This American Life Edition
Create your own Ira Glass narration with Radar's This American Life story generator

I, 'Mobot
A brief history of gay androids





Those Are Some Large Mammaries
Here's to firecrackers, beer, hot dogs, and, um, breasts

IT Would Rather Slap You Upside the Head
Why? Because you're dumb, period

Pixar's Next Effort
A post-WALL-E masterpiece

Douchiest Phone Message Ever
Now we've heard it all

From the Notebook of a Disturbed Child
A tragic tale drawn simple