Knisley also must pay restitution, which will be determined by the court in the next 30 days. Prosecutors had hoped for restitution near $1 million, but defense attorney Thomas Anderson disputed that figure.
“White-collar cases tend to be difficult, particularly with determining loss and restitution,” said U.S. assistant attorney Dwight Keller. “The court has made its finding, its sentence, and we’ve got to respect that.”
Knisley started Marine 77, a boat business with former professional football player Damion McIntosh, who wore No. 77 and played for four NFL teams during a 10-year career that ended in 2009. Prosecutors said that after the business started failing, Knisley panicked and started taking money from other sources to cover the losses.
While Keller had asked Rose for a 37-month sentence, Anderson urged the court for probation so that Knisley could continue to work and support his wife and three children.
“Mr. Knisely took responsibility for his actions,” Anderson said. “In these cases, they always seem to have a wide range of dispositions. We’re disappointed. We had hoped for a non-custodial sentence.”
Knisley’s sentence won’t begin until after the court determines restitution. Knisley did not address the court before sentencing, referring to a letter he sent to Rose before the hearing.
Knisley had faced a 28-count indictment including counts of tax evasion, filing false tax returns, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering after a federal investigation. Last fall, Knisley pleaded guilty to five counts — one for filing a false tax return, three for wire fraud and one for money laundering.
Court documents indicate Knisley took money from Ian Moses, Antione Strijdom, Knisley’s father Kenneth and McIntosh. McIntosh, who did not testify in the case, played for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks.
About the Author