Wesley Snipes will go to prison for tax fraud—prime example of lack of logic in sentencing

(Ocala, Fla.)-Actor Wesley Snipes faces 3 years in prison, sentenced by a federal judge in Florida for failure to file his income taxes. Admittedly, there’s a lot of money involved and admittedly, the actor did what most of the rest of us would love to do but are afraid to—decided to eliminate his own tax burden by trying to get around various regulations. Channel 2 in Orlando said the judge gave Snipes the maximum on a conviction of 3 misdemeanor charges “to deter others from trying something similar.” The IRS has no better friend than this judge, wouldn’t you say?

What I want to know is what’s the benefit to society from sending a productive citizen to prison for 3 years?  Now I know this is Florida (I live here so I know the place pretty good). And I know defying the feds is a no-no. That’s why I am meticulous with my records. I do not want to have audit nightmares. But somebody tell me how locking Wesley Snipes, or anybody else up, over screwing up with taxes, is going to protect society. Why not let him make restitution and go on about his life making movies and doing whatever celebs do? The federal coffers would actually get more money by taking that route. As far as I know, Snipes’ attitude about taxes hasn’t harmed a single person. In the scheme of things, I doubt it harmed the government either, considering all the waste we see going on (bridges to nowhere, thousands of bucks in a congressman’s freezer, building highways for buddies, etc.)

Why lock the guy up? Why lock anybody up over an issue like this? He didn’t take from me or you or even the state. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Other bloggers feel the same way.

Consider this. Less than 2 years ago, a young mother was killed right here in Jacksonville in a case widely viewed as road rage. The other driver, a doctor, was convicted of two counts of reckless driving.

He pled guilty at trial. He got probation and community service. But Wesley Snipes will do 3 years in the slammer on misdemeanor charges? Where’s the logic in sentencing? Federal and state courts need a new handbook, one that has logical sentences for crimes committed. No matter how hard you look, you won't find logic in this sentence.