may look pretty enough to be a fashion model, but in actuality he was a scummy fashion designer who utilized his position to take advantage of young women and girls sexually by telling them he was their one big chance for fame and glory as fashion models. He was sentenced to   sentence of 59 years, which, to a 35-year-old, is a very long time. The verdict will definitely be appealed because of allegations of jury tampering and the fact that Anand Alexander represented himself.

The case seems to have been won by the 13 models who courageously told the jury of how their fashion hopes and dreams were manipulated by the scumbag designer. According to this article, "prosecutors said Alexander often found women online, baited them with promises of glamorous photo shoots and other modeling work, only to fondle or rape them at his Beverly Hills apartment."

Of course, the big-shot designer is complaining that he did not receive a fair trial. To me, the fact that 13 women and girls were willing to get up in front of the jury to recount their experiences tells me that possibly Mr. Alexander may actually be guilty of his crime. I imagine that if there were 13 women, there were actually countless others who were too ashamed to testify. This is not the case of one hungry starlet trying to get her name in the news, but the case of systematic sexual abuse of numerous of women and girls.

The scumbag, excuse me, the fashion designer, was earlier featured on America's Next Top Model, which probably made more than his ego big. Delicately put, I would imagine that his appearance on the show made him that much more desirable to the young aspiring models that he has now taken advantage of. I can't think of a more appropriate sentence for such a sleaze bag. Using your high-profile position to rape and molest women and girls is lower than low.

The underlying message here is that the powerful are able to take advantage of the weak and that the beauty myth that pervades our country has put young girls into the position of putting themselves into comfortable situations for the sake of their "careers". Girls aspiring to be models should take an honest look at their possible vocation and realistically look at what it entails.