Last week celebrity dancer Shane Sparks was arrested on multiple felony counts of child molestation (see earlier blog post “Shane Sparks Arrested in North Hollywood”), but the dancer’s Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer says Sparks plans to plead not guilty to all the charges. He is scheduled for arraignment on January 13.
The only alleged victim, labeled as Monique F in court documents, filed a report with California authorities in May 2009. In California, the statute of limitations for child sexual molestation cases is 10 years from the date the abuse was committed. However, in the case of Sparks, the court documents state that due to the magnitude of the sexual abuse, including sexual intercourse and oral copulation, the statute of limitations has been extended.
Sparks’ Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, Steve Meister, told TVGuide.com that he plans to agressively defend his client against the “bogus allegations.” He also said he finds it very suspicious that the victim filed her report 15 years after the incident, after Sparks had risen to fame and accumulated a lot of money.
“We live in a time when a lot of people see a celebrity as a target. If people smell an opportunity, they will abandon their morality and conscience for a quick buck,” Meister told TV Guide. “Shane has no reason to suspect that any decent person would do that, but I would warn any Shane opportunists to think twice before they come after him, because they’ll be playing a game that they will very badly lose.”
- Felony Complaint For Melvin Shane Sparks Arrest Warrant (TMZ)
- Shane Sparks Charged WIth 8 Counts of Child Molestation (San Francisco Examiner)
- False Allegations of Child Abuse (FindLaw)
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