Wesley Snipes/AP
It looks like the “Blade” actor’s luck has run out after losing his appeal from his 2008 conviction on Tax Evasion charges. US District Judge William Terrell has ordered actor Wesley Snipes to immediately surrender to US Marshalls to begin his three year sentence. Earlier this week, Assistant US Attorneys filed a motion with the court asking that if the actor had lost his appeal they wanted him to began his sentence immediately and that is exactly what the judge ordered today.
In a 17-page order, U.S. District Court Judge William Terrell Hodges said, “The Defendant Snipes had a fair trial; he has had a full, fair and thorough review of his conviction and sentence by the Court of Appeals; and he has had a full, fair and thorough review of his present claims, during all of which he has remained at liberty. The time has come for the judgment to be enforced.”
Snipes, 48, an Orlando-born star of “Jungle Fever,” “White Men Can’t Jump,” and “The Fugitive” sequel “U.S. Marshals,” was convicted in 2008 of three misdemeanor counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns.
Prosecutors contend he obstructed the IRS and attempted to avoid paying millions of dollars in federal taxes.
The judge’s order essentially means that the actor must surrender himself once he receives notification from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to come in.
The actor will most likely appeal the latest ruling to the US Supreme Court however he will have to file the appeal behind bars based on the latest court ruling.
The conspiracy charge accused Snipes of seeking a fraudulent refund of $7.3 million.
It should be noted that since Actor Wesley Snipes was only convicted of misdemeanors, he will not lose any civil liberties like voting once he is released from prison.
