Stoney Westmoreland, one of the stars of Disney Channel's highly rated family show Andi Mack, has been arrested and accused of enticing a minor for sex. Westmoreland reportedly sent pornographic images to, and asked to meet and engage in sex acts with, a person he believed to be 13-years-old. Salt Lake City police arrested him after he reportedly arranged to meet the minor at a Salt Lake City hotel.
Andi Mack films in Utah, with Stoney Westmoreland playing Ham Mack, the grandfather of seventh-grader Andi. Disney Channel released a statement after Westmoreland's arrest, revealing that he was fired from the show:
Stoney Westmoreland, an actor working on the series Andi Mack, was arrested in Salt Lake City [Friday]. Given the nature of the charges and our responsibility for the welfare of employed minors, we have released him from his recurring role and he will not be returning to work on the series which wraps production on its third season next week.
According to Salt Lake City's KUTV, Stoney Westmoreland, 48, was also charged with four counts of dealing in material harmful to a minor. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on December 14, and held a bond of $30,000. Salt Lake City police told the local news site that Disney was cooperating with the investigation.
Court documents referenced by Variety allege Stoney Westmoreland met the minor through an online dating app, and asked the 13-year-old to engaged in oral sex and other sexual acts; he is also said to have asked the minor to send him nude photos.
Stoney Westmoreland played Andi Mack's grandfather in 38 episodes of the series. It's not clear if the show will recast the role from here, or write around the character of Ham. However that plays out, you have to imagine the explanations to the young cast will be difficult and delicate.
In addition to Andi Mack, Stoney Westmoreland is known from several episodes of Scandal as Hal Rimbeau, and individual episode roles on shows including Gilmore Girls, Star Trek: Voyager, Supernatural, CSI: Miami, Bones, NCIS, both Breaking Bad and the spinoff Better Call Saul, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and many more.
Andi Mack has a median viewer age of 10 years old, THR reports; it was the No. 1 series in 2017 among girls and top-rated in its time period among kids 6-14.
It's not surprising that Disney Channel would so quickly take action to fire Stoney Westmoreland from the series after this arrest. Disney -- and the Disney family, including ABC and Marvel -- has been quick to distance itself from alleged offenses less offensive than this, especially in the past year.
Andi Mack Season 3 is now airing on the Disney Channel. Here's what else is still airing on TV in 2018, and what's ahead in 2019.
