Ex-Village People singer faces jail

'Policeman' Victor Willis facing drug, gun charges
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/S...index.html

SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- The singer who dressed as a policeman in the flamboyant late 1970s disco band "Village People" has been arrested after disappearing while drug and gun charges against him were pending, officials said on Monday.

Victor Willis, who co-wrote some of the band's hits such as "In the Navy" and "YMCA" has had a number of run-ins with the law since he left the group in 1980 and now faces as much as five years in prison, said Morley Pitt, assistant district attorney in San Mateo County south of San Francisco.

"It's just sad that his life has spiraled down to the point where in all likelihood he's going to go to prison," Pitt, who said he enjoys the song "YMCA", told Reuters. "You never like to see anybody go to prison, let alone somebody who is 54 years old."

Willis was arrested last year on charges of possessing a gun and cocaine, but he disappeared after agreeing to a plea deal that set a maximum sentence of 16 months behind bars, Pitt said.

He was re-arrested on Sunday and the singer is due in court on Tuesday.

Because he went missing, the San Francisco-area resident now faces as much as four years, four months in prison on those charges, as well as an additional eight months on possible new narcotics charges, Pitt said.

Easily remembered for their outlandish costumes including a construction worker, a policeman, a cowboy and a leather-clad biker, the Village People were one of the best known bands of the disco era. Their song "YMCA" is also a favorite gay anthem.

Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.

jn2 said:

Disgrace makes you happy...Nice sentiments you have!

This guy has been thru some rough stuff. I remember seeing him on VH-1's "Where Are They Now"? and it was pretty sad. They showed him in a homeless shelter eating dinner and he was hiding his face from the camera. He was also married to Phylicia Rashad (Cosby Show) during his peak with Village People.

He made one wise career move: he left the Village People just before they filmed that disastrous crap movie "Can't Stop The Music"


truly one of the WORST films I have ever seen! By comparison,'Graffiti Bridge' is a masterpiece.

[Edited 3/29/06 3:17am]