Wesley Snipes Reports to Prison

Filed under: News, Media

Action-adventure star Wesley Snipes is officially behind bars. He reportedly checked into a medium security prison in Pennsylvania on Thursday shortly before noon to begin his three-year sentence for neglecting to file tax returns.

Snipes, who failed to file tax returns for at least a decade and owed $2.7 million in taxes on $13.8 million in income from 1999 to 2001 alone, self-surrendered to the federal prison camp at the Federal Correctional Institution McKean in Bradford, Pennsylvania.

The prison facility reportedly houses 300 nonviolent male offenders. A typical day for Snipes at McKean would be a 6:35 am wake up. Breakfast is announced soon thereafter and he will be given ten minutes to decide if he wants to go to the cafeteria. The menus consist of a well-balanced diet and there are also religious, heart-healthy and "no flesh protein" alternative diets.

Work assignments for the day are handed out at 8:00 am. If a prisoner is late for work, he is subjected to a disciplinary action.

Snipes will don a uniform that consists of khaki pants, khaki shirt, belt, safety-toed work shoes, and an ID card. The star of 'White Men Can't Jump' and the 'Blade' series will be required to be in full uniform when at work, on a call-out, at a scheduled program, or in the visiting room.

If Snipes wants to make a call to friends or family, phone usage is restricted to 15 minutes and he will not be able to conduct any business whatsoever. If anyone comes to visit, contact in the prison's visitors room is limited to "a kiss," according to their handbook.

The 48-year-old actor may be able to perhaps catch himself in an old role since the prison does allow its convicts to watch double-feature movie showings Friday through Sunday, but the films cannot have a NC-17, R or X rating.

Being a box office super celebrity will not get Snipes any preferential treatment according to prison spokesperson Shirley White who recently told the Associated Press, "We recognize that he [Snipes] is high profile, but we treat all our inmates the same."

"Hey Wesley, you'll be out before you know it, hang in there!"

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