Michael Jackson’s Ex Bodyguard Facing 18 Years In Prison For Armed Robbery

Michael Jackson’s Ex-Bodyguard Facing 18 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery

Working for a client as mega-famous as Michael Jackson can bring one’s life to a screeching halt when they pass away. This was certainly the case for MJ’s ex-bodyguard, Javon Beard. A source recently tipped British publication, The Sun, that the 40-year-old has been convicted of armed robbery – serving his time in a Nevada prison!

Michael Jackson

Javon was more than just the King of Pop’s bodyguard. According to sources, he’d become one of the singer’s closest confidantes in the years he spent working with him. He opened up about those experiences in a book, written along with another bodyguard on their team. The memoir was aptly titled, “Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson In His Final Days,” earning each author up to $100,000. The source dished:

“Javon and Bill ended up becoming quite famous when they were Michael’s bodyguards and they made good money. But after Michael’s death, which hit them both hard, Bill carried on with his old life but Javon wanted to carry on living the showbiz lifestyle he’d become used to. He’s [Javon Beard] a nice guy but he just got carried away with Michael’s success – and it was tough to deal with once that disappeared. Things became hard financially, he ended up falling into the wrong crowd.”

That crowd led Javon to being held at the High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, Nevada – Javon Beard was convicted of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, and is facing up to 18 years behind bars. He is approaching the first year mark of his minimum of 6 years.

Mugshot of Michael Jackson’s ex-bodyguard, Javon Beard

The source added that media scrutiny amid the release of the HBO doc, “Leaving Neverland,” spun Javon into depression.

“…he started getting quizzed a lot about Michael and the sex abuse allegations. After the lawsuit from Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck came out – people started taking it more seriously and all of a sudden everyone was asking him about it. He found himself defending Michael all the time and it took it’s toll on him.”

They continued:

“He made some bad decisions and now he’s paying the price in prison. It’s been tough for him, he’s been feeling very depressed and he’s lost touch with a lot of his old friends. But he’s determined to come out the other side and put his life straight again.”

Javon Beard appealed his armed robbery sentence, but was denied.

Written by Miata Shanay