Wesley Snipes Gets Maximum Sentence

As many of you have probably already heard, yesterday actor Wesley Snipes was sentenced to serve three years behind bards for not paying his federal tax liabilities. The case against Snipes has gained a lot of media attention in this country, and when he was acquitted of the felony charges facing him many people assumed he was receiving the “celebrity treatment” from the courts. However, this strict sentence sends out a clear message: you must pay your taxes or face jail time.

"We think it sends a real message," claimed U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill. "Again, you have to pay your taxes. If you dispute the taxes you owe, contact the IRS and go through the formal process. To continually just say, 'I don't owe taxes, you must show me why I owe taxes,' it seemed his position was ludicrous."

I agree with Mr. O’Neill’s statement 100%. All Americans must be compliant with the IRS, or you can face serious penalties including incarceration. Just sitting around pretending the IRS does not exist is a crime. If you cannot afford to pay your taxes you can negotiate a settlement with the IRS, but you cannot ignore them. Fortunately, it seems Mr. Snipes learned his lesson.

"I asked this court to show me mercy and the opportunity to set things right," Snipes said after the trial. "This will never happen again. I am very sorry for my mistakes or my errors."