Wesley Snipes began three-year sentence december 2010_As a stage name, it leaves more than a little to be desired, though it may work well for the kind of hi-octane fare for which he used to be famous. Prison inmate No. 43355-018, aka Wesley Snipes, yesterday reported to a federal prison in Pennsylvania to serve time for failing to pay tax.

The actor's surrender marked the end of a long-running legal battle to avoid incarceration that began on October 12 2006, when he was first charged. Snipes was convicted in April 2008 of three misdemeanours of wilful failure to pay income tax, but has spent the last two years appealing the ruling. During the case in Florida prosecutors alleged he owed some $15m, having failed to pay any federal tax despite earning a reported $37m (£24m) between 1999 and 2004.

Snipes argued that he was being unfairly targeted by prosecutors because of his fame and cited his college education, family and charitable activities as mitigating factors. However, United States district judge William Terrell Hodges ruled the actor had shown a "history of contempt over a period of time" for US tax laws.

He began his three-year sentence yesterday at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, though it is likely he will be transferred to a minimum security prison in the future. As is the custom, Snipes was asked to surrender his clothing and was given a prison uniform. He then went through inmate orientation and was assigned a bed.

In a TV appearance earlier this week, Snipes was asked by CNN's Larry King if he was nervous about going to prison. "I think any man would be nervous," he said. "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."

There is some positive news for Snipes. Provided he is released in time, Sylvester Stallone has reportedly said he wants the actor to star in the follow-up to this year's action movie, The Expendables.

source: guardian