TP Sport Suttles' girlfriend gets 2 years in prison

[Demosthenes]

Published - May, 30, 2007

Mary Ham gets two years
Kris Wernowsky
kwernowsky@pnj.com

Mary Ham will spend two years in federal prison for her part in a tax evasion scheme involving Fred �Sport� Suttles.

Ham appeared in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers today and delivered a tearful apology to the court for her part in Suttles' nearly decade-long refusal to pay $3.5 million in taxes, interest and penalties.

�I do accept responsibility for my ignorance,� she said. �Sport was someone I thought I could trust.�

Ham was convicted on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

She�ll begin her sentence in 60 days. Ham received a three year suspended sentence upon her release and a $10,000 fine. Rodgers will recommend that she serve her sentence at a minimum-security prison camp for women in Marianna.

Ham�s eldest daughter from a previous marriage, Denzil Watson, 34, and Ham�s 17-year-old daughter with Suttles, Cheree Suttles, wept as Rodgers announced the sentence. They did not comment outside the courtroom.

Throughout the trial, Ham and several witnesses said she was merely an innocent victim in Suttles� tax protest. Investigators said Ham lent her name to hide Suttles� assets and served as the figurehead of Diamond Brokers and C&R Corp.

Witnesses in the trial testified that while Suttles was married to another woman, he paid for Suttles' and their daughter�s lavish lifestyle, paying a mortgage on three homes in Ham�s name, including a Pensacola Beach condominium.

In court Wednesday, Ham said she sold the beach property for $70,000 and plans to hold the money in the event of any civil action taken by the IRS.

Ham could have received up to 63 months in prison. Rodgers admitted that she was impressed by Ham�s tearful plea in court, saying that a full sentence was �too harsh.�

�I�m a judge, but also a mother,� Rodgers said. �I can�t help but feel some compassion for your family.�

Suttles was sentenced in April to 14 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the IRS, evasion of tax payments, failure to pay employee taxes and obstruction of due administration of tax revenue laws. He began serving his sentence Tuesday.