A second man accused of violently assaulting an employee of American singer Lady Gaga to kidnap the star’s dogs was sentenced to six years in prison on Thursday in Los Angeles.
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Lafayette Shon Whaley, 28, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, admitting to being part of the group that shot Ryan Fischer while he was walking the ‘Poker Face’ singer’s three French bulldogs in Hollywood in February 2021.
CCTV footage showed two men getting out of a car near the singer’s employee, before shooting him in the chest.
The individuals then seized two of the dogs, Koji and Gustav, and fled leaving Ryan Fischer on the ground, bleeding.
The third dog, Miss Asia, had run away, but then returned to snuggle up next to her walker.
Lady Gaga, known for her hits “Just Dance” or “Bad Romance”, had offered a reward of 500,000 dollars for the return of her precious French bulldogs.
A woman had brought them back, saying she had found them tied to a post, before being arrested in turn.
According to the police, she had a relationship with the father of one of the attackers and had been responsible for collecting the reward on their behalf.
This sentence comes a week after that of his accomplice Jaylin Keyshawn White, 20, sentenced to four years in prison, and the second arrest of James Howard Jackson, 19.
Mr. Jackson, who is suspected of having shot Ryan Fischer, was released on April 6 following an administrative error.
The case had illustrated the popularity of these dogs with stars… and criminals, for whom their small size and high price make them prime targets for resale on the black market.
Lady Gaga is particularly attached to her dogs, who frequently accompany her to public events and of which she publishes photos on social networks.