Lawrence Taylor Indicted on Rape Charges

Taylor could face four years in prison.

Things are about to get heavy for Lawrence Taylor. The ex-football player was indicted Wednesday on charges that he raped and sexually abused a 16 year-old prostitute last month.

Taylor is set to appear in court on July 13 to face charges that include rape, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

A Hall of Fame linebacker for the New York Giants who was once one of the most admired people in sports, Taylor was arrested at a Holiday Inn on May 6 after a teenage prostitute said Taylor paid her $300 to have sex with her.

The young woman told authorities that she had been abused by her pimp, 36 year-old Bronx resident Rasheed Davis, whom police described as a "bad ass." Taylor says he did pay $300 to have sex with her, but that he never knew she was underage and that they never ended up having sex anyway.

Now that an official indictment is in the books, Taylor and his lawyer, Arthur Aidala, insist they will fight the charges.

"Mr. Taylor and his legal team made a strategic decision not to present any evidence to the grand jury, including him testifying or any witnesses in his defense," Aidala said.

So what's the ex-football player's defense? He says he was set up, and that instead of touching the girl on that fateful night he actually only pleasured himself.

Either way, Taylor sounds like a creepy fellow. And if he is convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.