Shane Sparks - Arrest and Conviction

Arrest and Conviction

On December 18, 2009, Shane was arrested on felony charges of child molestation. He was charged with six counts of a lewd act on a child and two counts of oral copulation of a person under 16. An attorney for Sparks said his client had been unfairly accused of child molestation, noting that the allegations did not surface until after Sparks became famous as a judge on "America's Best Dance Crew." Attorney Steve Meister said the case "stinks to high heaven" because Sparks' accuser waited 15 years to come forward. He called the claims "extortion, Hollywood-style." Meister says Sparks is innocent and "will fight to clear his name." Sparks is said to have been at least 10 years older than the alleged victim. Sparks was arrested in December 2009 at his North Hollywood home and brought to a Van Nuys, Calif., jail, held on $590,000 bail, LAPD spokesman, Keisha Shaw, told TVGuide.com. French also added that Sparks was the "subject of an ongoing child molestation investigation." Los Angeles police investigators said the choreographer committed multiple lewd acts upon a child, starting in 1994. Police identified the victim as a girl who was under 14 years old when the incidents began Sparks was released from jail on December 19, 2009 at 9:57PM.

On March 11, 2010, Shane Sparks pleaded not guilty to eight sex-related counts of child molestation. Sparks entered his not guilty plea during a hearing in Van Nuys. He was due back in court on April 20 for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence in the case for him to stand trial.

On August 16, 2011, Shane Sparks pleaded no contest to a single felony count of having unlawful sex with a minor under 16. Under a plea deal approved by LA County Superior Court Judge Martin Herscovitz, the other counts were dismissed. He was sentenced to 270 days in the county jail and five years of probation. He will also attend 52 sessions of sex-offender counseling and not go near any female minors without an adult present. He will, under current law, have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.