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SALT LAKE CITY – Disney actor Stoney Westmoreland was sentenced to two years in a federal prison after he tried to lure a minor back to his Salt Lake City hotel in 2018 to engage in sex.
Westmoreland, 52, was arrested in Utah after officials said he arranged online to have sex with someone who was only 13-years-old, reportedly communicating via the Grindr app used for dating and setting up sexual encounters, TMZ reported.
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 photos in return during the law enforcement sting, authorities said, according to Fox News Digital.
The actor initially faced 10 years behind bars on six separate felony counts, but he was allowed to plead down to lesser charges.
Despite court documents that say Westmoreland believed the person he was communicating with was 13-years-old, his attorney Wendy Lewis told Fox that her client believed he was actually speaking to an adult.
“Mr. Westmoreland maintains that he believed the person he was speaking with was likely an adult engaging in role play,” Lewis said. “Had there been an actual minor there when he arrived, he would have left.”
Westmoreland performed on Disney Channel’s Andi Mack. He played grandfather Henry “Ham” Mack and appeared in more than 25 episodes of the sitcom over three seasons. He was fired following his 2018 arrest, according to PRIMETIMER.
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.”
Once he completes his two-year sentence, Westmoreland will be on 10 years of supervised release and restricted from contacting people under 18 without adult supervision. He must also register as a sex offender, according to Deadline.
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Source: www.lawofficer.com