New York: A New York court has sentenced Indian fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander to five years in jail for admittedly forcing oral sex on an aspiring female model under a plea bargain deal. Alexander already serving 59 years to life in California for molesting 16 would-be models had originally been charged in Manhattan with sex attacks on 12 women and girls, including first degree rape.
Prosecutors dropped all but one of those cases when Alexander struck his no-additional-jail plea deal here in February. As his prison time in New York amounts to time already served, no years will be added onto his California sentence, Alexander's attorney said.
At his sentencing on Tuesday by a Manhattan Court, he was named a high-risk sex offender and sexually violent predator. "Anand Jon is a predator. He is a threat to the community," assistant district attorney Maxine Rosenthal said. Judge Cassandra Mullen asked Alexander several times if he had anything to say about his sentencing. "I'd like to thank everyone for being here," he finally replied in a courtroom full of supporters, some wearing "Free Anand Jon" t-shirts. But he did not apologise to the victim.
Known professionally as Anand Jon, India-born Alexander launched a fashion line in 1999 and built it into a high-flying career. He was featured on "America's Next Top Model," worked with such celebrities as Paris Hilton and Mary J Blige and was among 20 people profiled by Newsweek in 2006 as up-and-coming players in various industries.
Defence lawyers said Alexander hopes to overturn his California conviction by arguing he had ineffective counsel there. Outside the court, his mother Shashi Abraham and sister Sanjana Jon both proclaimed Alexander's innocence.
"Anand Jon is innocent and he will prove it. The truth will come out," Jon said. "This is an innocent person who is being victimised...People do believe in his innocence. Look at how many people are here supporting him, from all over," said Abraham.
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