Former Disney star Stoney Westmoreland charged in underage abuse case
‘Andi Mack’ actor had been arrested in a sting operation
Former Disney Channel actor Stoney Westmoreland has been charged with six felony counts after authorities said he tried to have sex with a 13-year-old boy.
The ‘Andi Mack’ actor, who played the titular character’s grandfather on the celebrated series, was fired from the show earlier this month after he was arrested during a sting operation near where the series films in Utah.
Westmoreland was charged on Friday with enticing a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of dealing in material harmful to a minor by an adult, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney, Sim Gill.
The counts were filed after the 48-year-old allegedly used the app Grindr to meet the minor, who in reality was a Salt Lake City police officer posing as a 13-year-old boy, according to charging documents.
The officer who operated the Grindr profile was contacted by Westmoreland, who asked if he would come to his hotel room “and engage in sexual activity,” according to the charges, obtained by Los Angeles Times on Monday.
In a written declaration, the officer stated that Westmoreland also sent four sexually explicit photos. Westmoreland acknowledged to the police that he had sent nude photos and that he knew the person he was speaking with said he was 13, authorities said.
Upon arriving to meet the boy, Westmoreland was arrested on December 13 and was taken to Salt Lake County jail, authorities said.
The state also requested that a $100,000 (Dh367,241) warrant be issued; however, a public safety assessment filed with the court found that Westmoreland was a low risk to public safety.