Federal tax charges latest chapter in the Mel Reynolds saga

Former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds stood in front of the cameras three years ago with signs that read "redemption."

"It's what you do after the mistakes," Reynolds said in 2012 while announcing a run for a congressional vacancy left by U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. But redemption appears to be elusive for Reynolds.

Some 20 years after his first criminal conviction, Reynolds was just named in a federal indictment alleging he failed to file federal tax returns for four consecutive years, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Reynolds, 63, who lost his South Side and south suburban 2nd Congressional District seat in 1995 after being convicted of having sex with an underage campaign worker, was indicted on the tax charges on Thursday. The indictment was made public on Friday.

Reynolds didn't file returns in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, according to the charges. Each count carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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