An OnlyFans model from California cried in court as she received a four-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter over the death of a client during a fetish encounter.
Michaela Brashaye Rylaarsdam, 32, was sentenced at San Diego Superior Court on Monday, June 8, after pleading guilty in connection with the death of Michael Dale during an April 2023 session at his home in Escondido, California.
Rylaarsdam spoke from the witness stand as she addressed Dale’s family, according to the New York Post.
“It needs to be said, there are no words,” she said through tears. “‘I’m sorry’ is not enough.”
Dale died of asphyxiation after arranging a session with Rylaarsdam on April 17, 2023, during which he had reportedly outlined a number of specific fetish requests.
According to court filings and testimony cited in the case, Dale had first connected with Rylaarsdam through Eros.com in March 2023 and paid her more than $11,000 over several weeks for conversations, visits and bondage-related activities.
Texts reviewed by Detective Chris Zack of the Escondido Police Department indicated that Dale wanted to be wrapped in Saran Wrap ‘like a mummy’, have women’s boots glued onto his feet, and have his eyes sealed shut using poured adhesive.
Prosecutors said the encounter went beyond those requests when Rylaarsdam covered Dale’s mouth with duct tape before placing a plastic bag and Saran Wrap over his head. His arms and legs were also restrained.
At a preliminary hearing, one of Dale’s roommates testified that he heard Dale tell Rylaarsdam to stop before he lost consciousness, and that Dale allegedly offered her more money if she did.
The plastic bag was left over Dale’s head for around eight minutes. He was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him brain dead. He was removed from life support several days later, and a medical examiner determined that he died from asphyxiation. The death was ruled a homicide.
During earlier testimony, a deputy medical examiner also acknowledged that Dale had a high blood alcohol level and other medical conditions that could have made asphyxiation occur more quickly.
Rylaarsdam, who used the professional name Asshley SinCal, ‘the h is silent’, had spent about a decade working in the industry, according to her Secret Hostess website. On the site, she described herself as an ‘upscale and classy creation’ and a ‘chameleon of this industry’.
Her listed services included both in-call and out-call appointments, with the most expensive option, the ‘Ultimate Incall’, advertised for $1,500.
Although Dale’s death happened in San Diego County, Rylaarsdam lived in Menifee, in Riverside County.
She is married to Brandon Rylaarsdam, who was reportedly aware of her OnlyFans account and assisted with managing the business.
Investigators said graphic images from the session were sent to her husband, while footage recorded during the encounter and intended for OnlyFans was also recovered during the inquiry.
Rylaarsdam was arrested in February 2025 and initially charged with murder nearly two years after Dale’s death. She later pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026 to the reduced count of involuntary manslaughter.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said the agreed sentence was four years in prison. Under California law, felony involuntary manslaughter carries a sentencing range of two, three or four years in state prison, making the stipulated term the maximum available for the reduced charge.
Her lawyer, Dan Cohen, told the New York Post that Rylaarsdam never meant for Dale to die and responded properly once she understood there was an emergency, saying she called 911 immediately and stayed at the scene until officers arrived.
“There is definitely a consensual element, not only something he consented to, something he was actively seeking,” Cohen said, adding that although consent does not amount to a legal defence, it was ‘certainly a mitigating factor’.
Defense attorneys also noted during earlier proceedings that Rylaarsdam did not flee, performed CPR, waited for police and was cooperative when questioned after the incident.
Before being sentenced, Rylaarsdam tried to apologise to Dale’s family, but was unable to complete her remarks.
“I would say the desire to go back and undo this would be at the top,” she said. “If I could change this…”
The case has drawn attention because it involved paid adult content, extreme fetish activity and the legal limits of consent when a participant dies or is seriously harmed.
Rylaarsdam is expected to serve the four-year term in custody.
Rylaarsdam’s attorney Dan Cohen, the Escondido Police Department, and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office have been approached for comment.