Disney Channel star Kyle Massey is speaking publicly for the first time about the criminal sexual misconduct charges against him.
Massey, who starred in the 2000s Disney shows “That’s So Raven” and its spin-off, “Cory in the House,” faces charges of immoral contact with a minor in Washington state. He is accused of sending sexually explicit videos, photos and texts to a 13-year-old girl between December 2018 and January 2019, according to charging documents – a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“I was silenced,” Massey, 31, told Law & Crime’s Brian Buckmire in an exclusive interview. “I’ve been silent and kept myself for many, many years now […] I’ve been dealing with this for six years, and I haven’t made any public statements about it or any updates.
“I just need the world to hear and understand what’s really going on,” Massey added.
The charges appear to relate to a short-lived California civil case filed in March 2019 by the minor’s mother against Massey, alleging the intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence for alleged violations of the criminal code which prohibits various types of sexual contact. with minors. That case, which sought $1.5 million in damages, was dropped in December of that year after the mother’s attorney withdrew her representation because she “still hasn’t responded” to his efforts to contact her, according to the court filing.
Massey appears never to have filed a response to the complaint in this case.
The criminal charges in Washington state stem from the mother contacting the King County Sheriff’s Office in February 2022.
Massey told Buckmire he was the victim and he claims the child’s mother sexually assaulted him.
“The truth about my relationship with this mother is that this mother had an inappropriate sexual relationship with me since I was a child when I was 15,” Massey said, adding that the woman “did a multitude of things different,” including bringing him into hotel rooms and giving him alcohol.
“It was one of the hardest times of my life because the person who molested, raped, took advantage of me as a child now describes me as a predator,” Massey told Buckmire. “And that’s just like mind-blowing.”
Massey’s attorney, Ariel Mitchell, provided further details, saying Massey met the mother in California in 2007 – two years before the mother said they met and when Massey was 15.
Mitchell said that while Massey is accused of positioning himself as a “father figure” to the girl, it was actually the mother who wanted Massey to play that role.
“Even in the police statement, [the mother] said that Mr. Massey was promising him – the mother – to marry him, the mother, and that they would move out,” Mitchell said, providing an anecdote from a potential witness who claims to have heard from the mother that her “intention was to get that Disney money and […] getting impregnated by Mr. Massey.
Mitchell also described communications between the mother and Massey as “very one-sided”, largely coming from the mother.
As for his interactions with the girl, Massey said he had a long history of trying to support budding actors and entertainers.
“And I did it just by the grace of my heart, just because I know how much I’ve been helped along the way,” Massey added, noting that he also received support. help along the way. “I didn’t do this alone, you know? So I’m the kind of person where I’m not selfish. Me, you know, I like to see people reach new heights. So that’s what I would do. So as far as this girl was concerned, the whole point of me helping her situation was that she was just another person I was trying to help.
Massey said his early stardom sparked an interest in helping others achieve success.
Kyle Massey speaks exclusively with Law&Crime about the charges against him.
“I’ve been famous since I was 8, okay? Eight,” Massey said. “When you’re a 16-year-old superstar and you’re the most famous African American in America, you’re gonna meet 12-year-olds with dreams […] And many of these people have flown and they have touched the stars with my help and guidance. »
Massey recalls feeling distraught when he learned he faced criminal charges, describing a surreal experience of realizing he was making international headlines.
“It was like a huge, huge dagger […] especially [for] someone like me,” Massey said. “I made a career out of working in children’s television, creating opportunities for African Americans to be in those big moments. So it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Massey admitted to accidentally sending the girl what Mitchell described as an “inadvertent disclosure” that was not intended for the child.
“There was an accidental communication where there was… something sent,” Mitchell said. “And then right after [it] it was the “it wasn’t for you” type of situation. But that was it.
Mitchell and Massey said the King County file reflecting his arrest in Washington State contains a massive inaccuracy: He was never arrested.
“The date and time they claim they arrested me, I happened to be shooting a TV show with the production timestamp in front of 200 witnesses,” Massey said, after claiming Kings County didn’t had not provided documentation, such as a reservation. photo or fingerprints, which would reflect his alleged arrest.
“After that, they basically used this fake arrest to get me my court date which I didn’t show up on and that led me to my warrant,” Massey added, calling the arrest warrant a $100,000 “bonus”.
When contacted by Law&Crime, the King County Sheriff’s Office referred comments to the prosecutor’s office.
“The King County Sheriff’s Office completed our investigation in 2020 and referred the matter to the King County District Attorney’s Office,” police told Law&Crime.
Mitchell said the arrest that Massey says never happened isn’t the only problem with the King County criminal case.
“At this point, I don’t think they’ve met their burden of probable cause,” Mitchell said, after noting that the discovery did not reveal alleged communications between his client and the girl. Mitchell also said prosecutors failed to show that the alleged communications took place in Washington state, meaning King County prosecutors lacked even jurisdiction.
Mitchell says she thinks Massey, who is black, is being targeted not just because of his fame but because of his race.
“King County, Washington is a very, very small black community,” Mitchell said. “However, of course, they have a disproportionate number of black people they investigate and arrest.”
The King County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately return Law&Crime’s request for comment on the case.
Massey says he lost “millions of dollars” in television and endorsement deals following his arrest, and indicated he may take legal action in the future.
Law&Crime attempted to contact the mother of the alleged victim in this case but received no response.
You can watch Buckmire’s entire exclusive interview with Massey in the video above.
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