Ex-Olympic veterinarian in Tahoe area guilty of tax evasion

RENO, Nev. (AP) - A Lake Tahoe-area veterinarian and former professor at the University of California, Davis who oversaw treatment of horses at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing has pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Sacramento says 63-year-old Jack Ray Snyder of Truckee, California admitted he under-reported nearly $350,000 in income from 2011-14. More than $212,000 of that was due for the 2011 tax year.

Prosecutors say Snyder took deductions that weren't allowed and endorsed outside client payment checks to directly pay credit card bills.

A federal grand jury indicted him in 2018 on eight counts of tax evasion and filing false tax returns. He intended to enter a guilty plea in July but U.S. District Judge William Shubb refused to accept the plea agreement.

As part of a new plea deal, prosecutors say he pleaded guilty last week to a single count of tax evasion. He faces up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine at his Nov. 16 sentencing before Judge Shubb in federal court in Sacramento.

Prosecutors say the judge will determine the appropriate penalty based on a number of sentencing guidelines.