14 DAY TRIAL // Actor Wesley Snipes has turned himself in and is now at a prison in Pennsylvania, where he’s started serving a 3-year jail sentence for several counts of tax evasion and conspiracy, People magazine reports.
Just days ago, Snipes was telling Larry King that he still had hope he wouldn’t have to report to prison until after the holiday season, though a judge had already denied his request for a delay, saying he’d had enough time to get his matters in order before jail.
The actor had hoped he would get a reprieve on the grounds that he couldn’t be torn from his family and 3 minor children right before Christmas – yet this is precisely what happened hours ago.
Four years ago, Snipes turned himself in to authorities after he was charged with tax evasion. In 2008, he was found guilty and sentence to the maximum possible, 3 years in a state penitentiary.
The following 2 years, Snipes appealed the initial decision, saying he’d been a victim of poor tax advisors and that he didn’t fail to pay his taxes on purpose. The judge remained unconvinced.
“Snipes accepted his fate and, on Thursday, turned in his street clothes for a prison uniform at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Lewis Run, Pa.,” says People.
“Snipes will eventually settle into the adjacent minimum security prison camp, according to Federal Bureau of Prison spokesman Edmond Ross,” the mag further reports.
The actor was processed “without incident” and was then headed straight to “inmate orientation,” after which he was assigned his very own bunk, Ross says for People.
In the aforementioned Larry King interview, Snipes admitted that, while ok with the idea that he would have to eventually present himself to prison, he was still very “nervous” about it.
“I think any man would be nervous. Given the length of time that they are suggesting that I be away from my family, away from my profession, away from my ability to provide for my family and for those who have depended upon me to contribute to society... I think anyone would be nervous about that,” the actor shared.