Man pleads to snooping in tax records

COVINGTON, Ky., July 28 (UPI) -- An Internal Revenue Service employee in Kentucky has pleaded guilty to snooping in celebrities' tax records.

John Snyder, 57, pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor charge in federal court, WLWT-TV, Louisville, Ky., reported

Snyder is accused of accessing nearly 200 celebrity files, including those of actors Kevin Bacon, Alec Baldwin, Sally Field, Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid and Tara Reid, as well as Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and former Cincinnati Reds players.

He allegedly began snooping in the files in 2003. A Treasury Department inspector became suspicious during a routine check.

Snyder, who worked with business accounts, was not supposed to access individual taxpayer accounts, officials said.

He faces up to one year in jail and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on Aug. 20.