Wesley Snipes Seeks To Appeal Sentence

November 20, 2009 5:35 p.m. EST

Ocala, FL (AHN) - Actor Wesley Snipes on Friday appealed his three-year sentence on federal tax charges he was convicted of a year ago.

Attorneys for the 47-year-old actor called the sentence "unreasonable," and said Snipes should have been granted a hearing to determine whether his trial should be held in New York, not Florida.

Prosecutors said Snipes had sufficient time to appeal to move the case to New York prior to being convicted on three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file his tax returns. Housing records show that Snipes resides in Florida as well as New York.

Snipes was sentenced in April 2008. Prosecutors sought the maximum punishment and set out to make an example of Snipes. For the three years Snipes did not file tax returns he made approximately $14 million, of which he owes more than $2.5 million.

Snipes is currently free on bail.