Ashanti ‘Sex Text’ Stalker Gets Two Years in Prison

An Indiana man was sentenced to two years behind bars yesterday (Feb. 18) after he was found guilty of stalking and harassing R&B singer Ashanti. 31-year-old Devar Hurd was accused of sending 32 disturbing "sex text" messages to Ashanti's mother, Tina Douglas. The text messages reportedly went as far as including photos of Hurd's genitals.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Farber handed down the maximum sentence for misdemeanor stalking and harassment, although he was convinced that Hurd should receive treatment for a delusional disorder. The judge was unable to make arrangements for Hurd to enter a treatment program in either New York or Illinois, where Hurd had family members, because probation officials could not accommodate him. "Mr. Hurd, I realize you don't want to hear this, but it's obvious to me that you need to get help," Farber said.

The ruling worked in favor of Ashanti's mother Tina Douglas, who insisted that he Hurd should be locked up. "My job is to be her manager," Douglas said of Ashanti. "But she's my daughter first." Hurd has been in jail for almost eights months now, since he was first arrested in July for harassment. During a court testimony in December, he openly admitted to sending the lewd messages. "Yes, I sent some adult text messages. Again, this is something I've done in the past," he said. "I've always meant the best for [Ashanti] and her career."

Hurd will carry out his sentence at New York's Rikers Island Prison.