Devar Hurd, 31, was convicted in December of stalking and aggravated harassment. He was given the maximum possible sentence for the misdemeanor offenses. The gym worker/ aspiring rapper has been jailed since his July arrest and that time will be applied towards his sentence.
Hurd called Ashanti’s mother and manager, Tina Douglas, numerous times in February 2009 and then sent her 32 messages between May 29 and July 18, according to the New York Daily News. Most of the messages were directed at Ashanti but a few seemed to be intended for Douglas, who manages the singer’s career, and Ashanti’s sister. The messages described explicit sexual scenarios and crudely described Ashanti’s performances.
One message included a photo of Douglas’ house and asked about coming over for a visit. Another claimed that he saw Ashanti’s car when he went to a performance of “The Wiz,” which the artist starred in an of-Broadway revival of this summer. Some texts were even accompanied by pictures of Hurd’s genitals.
During his trial Hurd explained that he was pursing a business relationship and friendship with Douglas. He said he didn’t think Douglas would mind the texts as they were just jokes and “sex texting.”
"My intent was not to harm," he told the judge. "I always wish the best for [Ashanti]."
According to court papers, in February Douglas told Hurd to stop contacting her after he called her repeatedly. She told told jurors that the harassing messages forced her to hire extra security personnel.
"We're really so glad to have this behind us, and we feel justice has been served," Douglas said through a spokeswoman. Neither Ashanti nor her mother attended Hurd’s sentencing. The singer also didn’t testify at his trial.
After his conviction, doctors diagnosed Hurd with a delusional disorder.
Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Farber had preferred sending Hurd to psychological treatment rather than jail but arranging probation with mental-health treatment was unsuccessful, in part because Hurd has nowhere to live in New York.
"It's obvious to me that you need to get help," Farber said, who recommended psychiatric treatment for Hurd during his jail time.
Prosecutors said that psychological problems or not, Hurd deserved to serve his time with the maximum sentence.
"Even if he believes that Ashanti was in love with him, his conduct was not that of a man wooing a woman. He was not sending her flowers," but rather barraging her mother with messages any parent would find objectionable, Assistant District Attorney Carolina Holderness said.
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