A former NBA player and actor was sentenced to 90 years to life in prison on Friday for a series of violent sexual assaults.
The Los Angeles Police Department said an investigation into Rashid Byrd began in 2019. A victim reported she had been sexually assaulted.
“During their investigation, detectives learned [that] in 2010, Byrd was convicted of sexual assault involving a different victim,” the LAPD release stated. “Detectives also discovered that Byrd had been arrested for sexually assaulting a young woman in Washington State in 2005.”
The 7’1″ Byrd charmed his victims at first, then turned violent.
“He started as a charmer, playing up his status as an athlete and pseudo-celebrity, but that quickly faded into rapes and violence,” said Detective Dara Brown, who served as the lead investigator on the case.
Byrd played 22 games for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League in the 2008-09 season. He also appeared in the 2008 Will Ferrell-starring basketball comedy, Semi Pro, playing a member of the fictional American Basketball Association team, the Flint Tropics. He also appeared in a documentary short, Bring Your ‘A’ Game.
He was arrested in September 2020 by LAPD detectives for sexual assault.
The 39-year-old was sentenced to 90 years to life in state prison for the violent sexual assaults that occurred in L.A. and Santa Clara counties.
“The Los Angeles Police Department is grateful for the brave women who came forward to tell their stories,” Detective Brown said. “While this investigation has gone on for years, we are thankful that Byrd is no longer on the streets.”
Efforts were made to locate all of Byrd’s victims, Detective Brown said, adding that anyone with more information on his crimes is asked to contact her at 213-486-6840 or by email at [email protected].
