MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Germantown man who was a cast member on the CBS show “Survivor” pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of aggravated assault, the district attorney’s office said.
Silas Gaither will serve six years of probation and cannot have contact with the victims. He may travel for employment purposes to 10 states in the Southeast as well as to his family farm in Mississippi.
He was originally charged with three counts of rape, as well as sexual battery and aggravated assault for incidents involving two women — one in Germantown and one in Memphis.
Gaither had a hearing scheduled for Friday morning. When WREG showed up to court, we were told he was granted an advance to plead guilty a day earlier.
Assistant District Attorney Lessie Rainey said the women involved were kept informed during the plea deal process.
“This settlement was reached after considering all the facts of the cases and the possible outcomes of a trial. The victims were consulted each step of the way and after many discussions agreed with this resolution, though we all agreed it was not everything the defendant deserved,” Rainey said. “While nothing can undo the trauma they experienced, they now can move on with their lives, and the defendant will have two C felonies on his record that cannot be erased.”
One of the victims said in a text message: “I don’t think he got what he deserved but thankful for no trial.”
Gaither’s attorney said his client had no comment on the plea deal Friday.