Shane Sparks Fights "Bogus Accusations" of Child Molestation

Hip-hop choreographer has posted bail and is prepping to defend himself against what his attorney calls "opportunism and exploitation"

By Megan Masters Dec 21, 2009 1:00 AMTags
Shane SparksDr. Billy Ingram/Getty Images

Shane Sparks is dancing his way right into a courtroom battle.

One of the most influential hip-hop choreographers on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, and judge of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, is prepping to fight back against felony child molestation charges brought against him last Friday.

"Shane Sparks is innocent, he knows it and soon the world will know it. We are going to fight this tooth and nail," Sparks' attorney Steve Meister tells E! News. Sparks posted bail late Saturday night, and is now solely focused on clearing his name.

Meister explains that the accusations are not only unfounded, but they coincide with an all-too-common occurrence in recent Hollywood history.

Not unlike the Travolta family and John Stamos, Meister asserts that the claims being made against Sparks mirror an attempt at extortion.

"It's a bogus accusation that reeks of opportunism and exploitation. The timing is beyond suspicious, and this whole thing stinks to high heaven," states Meister. "We are going to fight to clear his name, and we are going to succeed."

The next step in the Sparks case will be building his defense and proving his innocence, which Meister is confident he will be able to do for his client.

On Friday, Sparks was arrested in Los Angeles on eight counts of felony child molestation for an alleged crime that occurred more than a decade ago. The charges involve one female victim, who has only recently come forward with the accusations. If convicted, Sparks will have to provide fingerprints and a DNA sample for a national database of sex offenders.

(Originally published Dec. 20, 2009, at 10:01 a.m. PT)

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