Sprouse Manager Convicted of Molestation

Posted Mar 3rd 2008 4:37PM by TMZ Staff

Child star manager Josh Werkman has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor child molestation and misdemeanor sale of alcoholic beverage to a minor.

Werkman entered his plea in on Friday in Ventura County Superior Court. He will be sentenced on April 2.

Werkman manages Cole and Dylan Sprouse, the twin stars of the Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody." The twins were NOT involved in the case.

Werkman is also CEO of Merimark Entertainment and served as producer on the Sprouse twins' two most recent movies.

Calls to Merimark for comment were not immediately returned. Reps for the Disney Channel had no comment.

Law enforcement tells us Werkman was initially arrested for felony sexual battery by restraint. Sources tell TMZ the alleged victim is a 16-year-old male.

Werkman's lawyer, Steve Cron, says "Josh admitted he annoyed an individual who is a minor and provided that person with alcohol on the day in question. He acknowledged that he used bad judgment on that occasion and that is why he pleaded no contest to the two charges."

UPDATE: TMZ spoke with the prosecutor in the case, Rameen Minoui, who tells us that Werkman must register as a sex offender, and could face up to one year in jail.

Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Kids

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(Page 5 of 6)Previous 15 Comments | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

61. SERIOUSLY PEOPLE PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT!!! STOP SAYING THE TWINS GOT ABUSED OR ANYTHING CAUSE THEY DID NOT: THE TWINS ARE "NOT"!!! READ!!!! "NOT" INVOLVED IN THE CASE AND IF THEIR PARENTS HASN`T SAY ANYTHING YET ITS CAUSE MAYBE THEY DONT WANT TO INVOLVED THEIR CHILDREN INTO THIS SAD SITUATION CAUSE THEIR KIDS ARE ONLY 15 YEARS OLD AND THEY`RE CAREFULL AND RESPONSABLE PARENTS.

AND AGAIN FOR THOSE READERS THAT DOESN`T UNDERSTAND OR THEY DONT WANT TO READ THE ARTICLE PROPERLY " THE SPROUSE TWINS ARE "NOT" AGAIN "NOT" INVOLVED IN THE CASE. SO GET THAT SICK IDEA OUT OF YOUR MINDS AND HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT FOR COLE AND DYLAN THIS TALENTED NICE BOYS ARE UNDER A LORTOF PRESSURE RIGHT NOW; CAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO INVOLVE THEM AND ONCE AGAIN THEY`RE NOT INVOLVED!!

IT`S VERY SAD TO SEE HOW PEOPLE CAN JUMP INTO WRONG CONCLUTIONS AND THEY DONT CARE ABOUT HOW MUCH DAMAGE CAN CAUSE TO OTHERS WITH THEIR BAD COMMENTS. COLE AND DYLAN SPROUSE ARE TWO HEALTHY NICE AND HAPPY BOYS AND THIS SITUATION MUST BE HARD FOR THEM AND THEIR PARENTS AND ONE MORE TIME "THE SPROUSE TWINS ARE NOT INVOLVED INTO THE CASE"

Posted at 11:57AM on Mar 6th 2008 by The Twins are NOT involved!!!!

62. Hmm... and you learned how to spell where?

Posted at 2:47PM on Mar 6th 2008 by The Twins are NOT involved this is for you....

63. My 2cents, Managers work for the actor. Disney has absolutely no control over which manager and actor chooses to work with.
You should know what you are talking about before slandering entire companies of very hardworking individuals. Shame on you.

Posted at 2:22PM on Mar 7th 2008 by Laughing at my2cents

64. i know joshhh
i met him at my friends house
cuz hes friends with her mom and they both were drinking
he didnt give us alcohol though and he doesnt molest boys hes nice!

Posted at 11:26PM on Mar 11th 2008 by PAPAPA

65. OMG is the media going to turn this into another Michael Jackson fiasco? He gave the boy alcohol, molested him and next thing you know....every boy in Hollywood is involved. I don't know Dylan and Cole personally; but from what I do know, they seem like nice, healthy, sensible young men who aren't going to get caught up in the drug/alcohol scene as so many other young actors/actresses have done. At least I hope they don't. I am not trying to minimize the fact that this guy committed a crime and shoud be punished for it; but don't let the media blow this thing so far out of proportion that it becomes what they want..A MEDIA BOMB !

Posted at 12:26PM on Mar 24th 2008 by Dennis

66. Mr. Werkman pleaded No contested.. THAT MEANS GUILTY.. A man in childrens business that is accused of this, if he was innocent he woudl of fought this to the end ... but HE DID IT..
Read all the articles.. IT says HE WILLINGLY Touched a Minor, which means he mollested him.. YUCK

Lets all just hope that Dylan and Cole Sprouse have not been molested by this creep and hope he serves time, so no other innocent kids get raped

Posted at 4:39AM on Mar 27th 2008 by Meryl

67. Very interesting, thanks

Posted at 11:34AM on Apr 1st 2008 by Big Daddy

68. If you read all the earlier comments, you will see that the twins parents are divorced... this guy Mr. workman
was around these kids all the time... so i guess we will never know what happend and just hope for the best that this child moleter is locked up and put away.
to save future kids

Posted at 2:22PM on Apr 2nd 2008 by Concerned parents

69. THe little boy won.. Mr. WORKMAN GOT 6 MONTHS IN THE SLAMMER>>
PLUs FINES. and HAS TO REGISTERR>> YEAH TMZ for fInding all this out

Posted at 9:18PM on Apr 2nd 2008 by JUSTICE SERVED

70. Justice is served.. MR. WORKMAN GOT 6 MONTHS IN JAIL
THANK YOU TMZ

Posted at 9:37PM on Apr 2nd 2008 by JUSTICE SERVED

71. JUSTICE SERVED MR. WORKMAN is goin to JAIL for 6-7 MONTHS
THANK YOU TMZ

Posted at 9:41PM on Apr 2nd 2008 by JUSTICE SERVED

72. does he have to register as a sex offender?

Posted at 2:51AM on Apr 3rd 2008 by jenny on the block

73. YES he has to register as a SEXX OFFENDER>>> that SICKO

Posted at 10:11AM on Apr 3rd 2008 by JUSTICE SERVED

74. Yes he does have to register.. I wonder if the Sprouse Twins Know this.. INTERESTING

but I heard not until he serves his jail time which is 7 months in county slammer

Posted at 12:29PM on Apr 3rd 2008 by Lisa Daniels

75. TMZ- what did he end up getting?? The sentence date was April 2nd but I haven't seen a follow up story!!

Posted at 1:55PM on Apr 4th 2008 by anxious for the ending!

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