Stephen Collins Update: Actor Being Investigated By Third Law Enforcement Department After New Alleged Victim
A new molestation investigation is being launched against actor Stephen Collins, who once played a pastor on "7th Heaven," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed to the Wrap Wednesday. The alleged incident with the latest victim occurred when the woman was 13 in the 1980s.
The Special Victims Bureau of the the L.A. County Sheriff's Department opened an investigation on Oct. 9 after the woman reported the case to authorities, USA Today wrote. Collins reportedly exposed himself to her in West Hollywood in 1983.
The department confirmed it's "investigating an allegation of indecent exposure and annoying or molesting a child" that has been made against Collins, according to the Wrap.
"The allegation was first reported to the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, and was forwarded to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for investigation. The victim, who was 13 years old at the time of the incident, reported the event that occurred in the summer of 1983," the statement said. "Special Victims Bureau detectives are working with New York Police Department authorities on this case."
Three law enforcement agencies are investigating Collins now that the L.A. County Sheriff is involved. Collins hasn't been charged in Los Angeles or New York. A once avid tweeter, he hasn't taken to social media since the sexual abuse claims came to light.
Molestation allegation against Collins, 67, arose after the emergence of an audio recording of him purportedly confessing to sexually assaulting at least three minors. The recording was made during a therapy session with his estranged wife, Faye Grant.
Grant issued a statement that said she didn't leak the recording. "I woke up today to learn that an extremely private recording I handed over to the authorities in 2012 per their request in connection with a criminal investigation was recently disseminated to the press. I had no involvement whatsoever with the release of the tape to the media," Grant told E! News Oct. 7.
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