After being arrested in 2018 on a child sexual assault charge, an actor who is most well-known for his work with Disney’s Andi Mack was sentenced Monday to two years imprisonment.
Stoney Westmoreland (52), pleaded guilty using interstate facilities for transmitting information about a child and must surrender to jail no later than July 18, court records show.
Westmoreland was indicted for one count of coercion and enticement to engage with minors sexually.
Defense lawyer Wendy Lewis stated that he had been facing a minimum of 10 years imprisonment for the more serious offense. He then pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
Westmoreland posed as a teen on Grindr dating app in 2018 and communicated with an undercover police officer, Lewis and prosecutors claimed.
Later, the actor claimed that the online connection that turned into a real-life encounter was just role-playing. Lewis stated that Westmoreland arrived at the “driver” ride-share company to meet the 13-year old.
The defense attorney stated that if it had been a minor, he would have wanted to leave. The plea was taken because of the risk of ten years or more, especially with the Utah jury and homosexuality.
According to Assistant U.S. attorney Andrew Choate, Westmoreland will serve his sentence under conditions of supervised parole for an additional 10 years. He also has to register as a sexual offender for 25 year.
According to court records, the actor will be restricted to having “only one personal computer and/or an internet-capable device” after he is released from prison. All “devices are subjected to random inspection.”
