An actor who was fired from a Disney Channel show upon his arrest in December 2018 and now could be facing life in prison after he was hit with a federal charge.

A federal grand jury on Jan. 9 charged Stoney Westmoreland, 48, with one count of coercion and enticement. The maximum penalty is life in prison and the minimum penalty is 10 years in prison.

Westmoreland was previously charged in Utah with enticing a minor, four counts of dealing in harmful materials to a minor, and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.

Authorities arrested Westmoreland after he attempted to meet with someone he thought was a 13-year-old boy he’d been communicating with through a dating application.

But it was actually a sting and the boy was an undercover police officer

When Westmoreland arrived at the Little America Hotel, he was arrested. A search warrant was served on his room, which uncovered sex toys.

After his arrest, Westmoreland was fired by the Disney Channel. He had been the grandfather of the main character in the show “Andi Mack,” which films in Salt Lake City.

We released Stormy Westmoreland from the series as soon as the serious charges against him were made known,” a Disney Channel spokesperson told the Salt Lake Tribune. “Telecasts will continue on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW and new episodes will premiere in the coming weeks and months, with some edits made by the producers.”

The company was planning to remove Westmoreland’s character, Ham Mack, from the 14 episodes that haven’t aired. The show was scheduled to return from a break on Jan. 18.

According to Deadline, the age of the boy Westmoreland thought he would meet is the same as the central characters of the Disney Channel show, including the main character Andi Mack.

Besides starring in “Andi Mack,” Westmoreland has appeared in a number of television series and movies, including “Scandal” and “Breaking Bad.”

The actor has not commented on the charges as of yet.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/former-disney-actor-stoney-westmoreland-faces-life-in-prison-after-new-charge_2763827.html