Rape Charge and Conviction
In 2009, Da Silva was charged with "four counts of forcible rape, two counts of assault with intent to commit rape and two counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object." Da Silva stated he was innocent and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He had stated in interviews that the sex was consensual and that the women were trying to extort money from him and they may have known each other as they came from the same small town.
Da Silva was arrested in August 2009, and unable to pay bail set at two million dollars, he remained in jail for two years as mistrials and delays prevented his case from reaching a conclusion.
On September 16, 2011, a downtown Los Angeles jury found Alex Da Silva, 43, guilty of raping a 22-year-old woman in August 2002 and assault with intent to commit rape involving another woman in March 2009.
On January 27, 2012, L.A. Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy, handed down a 10 year prison sentence in reference to the 2009 arrest.
Read more about this topic: Alex Da Silva (dancer)
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