(NEXSTAR) – Former Disney Channel star Kyle Massey has been charged with a felony count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes, Washington state court records show.
A King County clerk confirmed to Nexstar that Massey didn't show up for his arraignment on Monday.
Massey, who is known for playing Cory Baxter during the 2000s on Disney shows "That's So Raven" and "Cory in the House," is accused of sending pornographic material to a 13-year-old girl between December 2018 and January 2019, according to court docs obtained by TMZ.
The felony charge against Massey was filed on June 14, but TMZ reports that it is related to a 2019 civil lawsuit against the actor and musician for at least $1.5 million.
The girl in that case said she met Massey with her mother when she was 4 years old, People reported. She stayed in touch with Massey and claimed that he "held himself out as a father figure" to her while she pursued a career in entertainment, according to the suit.
In November of 2018, the girl reached out to Massey via text about a possible audition for "Cory in the House." Massey, who had a good relationship with the girl's family, the lawsuit states, suggested that she move from Seattle to live with him and his girlfriend in Los Angeles.
A month later, the lawsuit claims, Massey friended the eighth grader on Snapchat and later sent her "numerous sexually explicit text messages, images and videos."
The family's attorneys sought damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, harmful matter sent with intention of seducing a minor, attempting to commit a lewd act with a minor and annoying or molesting a minor, according to Variety.
The civil suit didn't go anywhere in the end, TMZ reports, because the legal team representing the girl and her family said they didn't think Massey had enough money to make it worth pursuing. The girl opted to file a report with the King County Sheriff's Office instead, and her mother turned over a thumb drive with alleged pornographic images sent by Massey, according to TMZ.
Kyle Massey did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the June charge.
0 Comments