Thaindian News

An Indian-born celebrity fashion designer Anand Jon was convicted on multiple charges of sexual assault on young would-be models in Los Angeles.

Anand Jon, 34, a rising designer who had dressed socialite Paris Hilton and singer Janet Jackson before his arrest last year, faces possible life imprisonment after a Los Angeles Superior Court jury found him guilty on 16 criminal counts. Jon had been in custody for a year and also being investigated in New York and Dallas for the same charges.

The conviction involved 16 sex offences, including forcible rape and sexual battery. Between 2001 and 2007 against nine would-be models aged between 14 and 21 and also charged for conviction of possessing child pornography.

The prosecutors said Jon lured girls and women to Los Angeles giving false promises that they could work as models and then attacked them. The prosecutors said nine women testified against Alexander during the trial.

“He humiliated, degraded and took what he wanted from them. He was a predator who took advantage of the weak people around him. He has no criminal sexual borders. If he didn’t use force, he laced their drinks,” prosecutor Frances Young told the jury.

Anand Jon Alexander denied the charges and his lawyers said the youngs girls and the women wanted a revenge from them and made up their own stories or who had “invited what happened,” in additional of having few physical evidence.

The designer was acquitted of four charges and the jury could not reach a verdict on three other counts.

The sentencing is scheduled for January 13. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office said Jon was facing a sentence of life in prison, with a 67-year wait before becoming eligible for parole.