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A FORMER NBA player will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of several violent sexual assaults, said police.
Rashid Byrd has been sentenced to 90 years to life in prison for the attacks, which occurred in Los Angeles and Santa Clara, California between 2015 to 2020.
An investigation into Byrd was launched by the Los Angeles Police Department in 2019 after a victim accused him of sexually assaulting her.
“During their investigation, detectives learned [that] in 2010, Byrd was convicted of sexual assault involving a different victim,” the LAPD said in a press release.
“Detectives also discovered that Byrd had been arrested for sexually assaulting a young woman in Washington State in 2005.”
Byrd would charm his victims before forcing them to commit a variety of sex acts, said police.
“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, the lead investigator on the case.
Byrd, a former NBA player, was arrested in September 2020 by the LAPD for sexual assault and has remained in jail ever since with a bail set at $4,150,000.
“The Los Angeles Police Department is grateful for the brave women who came forward to tell their stories,” said Brown.
“While this investigation has gone on for years, we are thankful that Byrd is no longer on the streets.”
Byrd was born Rashid Byrd Hardwick and played seven years in the NBA and even acted in two movies, Bring Your ‘A’ Game and Semi Pro.
The LAPD is attempting to find all of his victims and is asking anyone with information on Byrd’s crimes call contact Detective Brown at 213-486-6840 or email RHDTIPLINE@LAPD.ONLINE.