[txdiva]

Ronald Isley sentenced for tax evasion

Isley Brothers lead singer Ronald Isley has been sentenced to three years and one month in prison for tax evasion.

Isley was also ordered to pay $3.1 million in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Conte.

He was convicted last year of five counts of tax evasion and one count of willful failure to file a tax return.

During a hearing Friday, defense attorney Anthony Alexander argued that the 65-year-old singer should receive probation instead of prison time because of complications from a stroke and a recent bout with kidney cancer. Isley is expected to be sent to a prison hospital facility.

Alexander also pleaded for leniency because Isley had been attempting to pay down his IRS debt.

But U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson declined to sentence the R&B singer to less time than called for under federal guidelines.

"The term serial tax avoider has been used. I think that's appropriate," Pregerson said.

Alexander argued during trial that "unfortunate circumstances," such as the deaths of two of Isley's accountants, made him unable to get records together and pay taxes during the years that led to the criminal charges.

Isley's recent albums include a collaboration with Burt Bacharach titled "Here I Am" and the Grammy-nominated Isley Brothers CD "Body Kiss."