PHOENIX - Darren Mallory Sharper (D.O.B. 11/3/1975) pled guilty today to offenses stemming from a November, 2013 sexual encounter and was sentenced to a nine year prison term. At a change of plea hearing before the Honorable Judge Warren Granville in Phoenix this morning, Sharper and his attorney participated telephonically from Los Angeles, where he is being held in custody for separate offenses committed in California.
Under terms of the plea agreement, Sharper will serve his sentence in federal prison concurrent with any sentence that may be imposed in connection with separate federal charges he is facing in Louisiana. He will not be eligible for early release and will be placed on lifetime probation after he serves his prison term.
“Today’s agreement holds this defendant appropriately accountable for his criminal acts and eliminates a potentially lengthy delay in providing justice to his victims,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “This outcome also serves to underscore that anyone committing sexual assault in Arizona will suffer severe consequences regardless of their stature in the community,” he added.
On March 11, 2014, the Grand Jurors of Maricopa County indicted Sharper on three counts of administration of dangerous drugs and two counts of sexual assault in connection with an encounter with three women in Tempe on November 21, 2013. Due to the nature of the offenses, he was not eligible for bail. He was ordered held non-bondable by a judge in Los Angeles where he had been arrested for unrelated offenses.
Arizona prosecutors agreed to dismiss the three counts of administration of dangerous drugs. The agreement entered today resolves charges brought against Sharper in Arizona only and is not contingent on cases he faces in other jurisdictions.
###