Disney actor Stoney Westmoreland sentenced to two years in federal prison for sex crime involving minor
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Former Disney actor Stoney Westmoreland was sentenced to two years in a federal prison for attempting to lure a minor into sex and using interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor following a 2018 arrest in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Westmoreland, 52, initially faced 10 years behind bars on six separate felony counts, but he was allowed to plead down to lesser charges. He was arrested in December 2018 for allegedly trying to arrange to have sex with a 13-year-old boy.
Stoney Westmoreland will spend two years in federal prison on charges of sex crime with a minor. The former Disney star attended the premiere of Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” at the El Capitan Theatre on May 10, 2018, in Los Angeles, California.
( Frazer Harrison)
The former “Andi Mack” star also received 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender, according to Deadline.
His electronic devices are subject to random searches, inspections, and he must report all electronic communication accounts including social media handles.
He is also restricted from contact with individuals who are under the age of 18 and without adult supervision.
The actor was initially arrested on Dec. 13, 2018. He was using Grindr to date and found a profile that looked like it belonged to an underage boy. However, he was actually being monitored by detectives in Salt Lake City, where his Disney show was being shot.
Westmoreland took a car from a ride-sharing app to meet the boy, so they could go back to his hotel room, authorities said at the time. He had previously sent explicit photos and asked for nude pictures in return, authorities stated.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Westmoreland acknowledged to police that he had sent nude photos, and knew the person he was speaking with said he was 13 years old, charging documents state.
An attorney for Westmoreland tells Fox News Digital her client believed he was actually speaking to an adult.
“Mr. Westmoreland maintained that he believed that the person he was speaking to was an adult engaged in role play,” Wendy Lewis, Westmoreland’s lawyer, said. “Had there been a minor present when he arrived, he might have left. “
Lewis said that Westmoreland was examined by Dr. Fred Berlin, Johns Hopkins Institute for the Study, Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Trauma. Berlin testified that Westmoreland had no sexual interest in children.
Lewis continued, “Due to the possibility of a minimum 10-year sentence and conservative Utah juries, Mr. Westmoreland agreed to plead to the lesser offense of transmitting information about a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. “
SCANDAL – StoneyWestmoreland and Tony Goldwyn, in “Say Hello To My Little Friend.”
(Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Shortly after his arrest, Westmoreland was dropped from his role as the grandfather of the teenage title character on the Disney show.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A Disney Channel spokesperson told Fox News at the time of Westmoreland’s arrest: “Given the nature of the charges and our responsibility for the welfare of employed minors, we have released him from his recurring role and he will not be returning to work on the series which wraps production on its third season next week. “
Westmoreland’s other acting credits include “Scandal” and “Breaking Bad. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Tracy Wright is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.
I have been writing professionally for over 20 years and have a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional elements that affect people. I’m an experienced ghostwriter and editor, as well as an award-winning author of five novels.
