7th Heaven’ pastor-dad Stephen Collins admits to molesting underage girl

[cali]

The actor who played a wholesome minister on “7th Heaven” made life a living hell for three young girls he allegedly sexually abused, authorities said Tuesday.

The NYPD’s Special Victims Unit is investigating allegations that Stephen Collins, who played the Rev. Eric Camden on the family drama that ran for 11 seasons, molested one young girl and exposed himself to two others. Two of the three victims were in Manhattan, a police source said.

Sex crime investigators went to Los Angeles a few weeks ago to interview Collins, 67, about the incidents, which took place around 2012, the source said.

“We have an active investigation involving Stephen Collins,” the source said.

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http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/7th-heaven-dad-stephen-collins-admits-molesting-girl-article-1.1965747

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. Sex offenders should be the ones in prison, not pot smokers.

[msanthrope]

2. Over/under on how soon this makes Law&Order SVU?

February sweeps?

[MineralMan]

3. Method actor, I guess...

Had to try out acting like a pastor before playing the role. We had one of those pastors in my town when I was in high school. They caught him in the act with a 14 year old girl. Oddly, he didn't get arrested. The church just fired him. The girl's family moved out of town, due to the horrible attacks the girl got for "causing the pastor" to do that.

Yuck. Just one more nail in the coffin of any religious beliefs I ever held.

[logosoco]

4. I always was creeped out by that show somehow. I thought it was the religious overtones, maybe notnt

[nomorenomore08]

8. Just way, way too freaking wholesome. Anyone that squeaky clean has to have some secrets. n/t

[Initech]

5. Next week on a very special 7th Heaven...

Pastor Eric is arrested and arraigned in court where he pleads not guilty for indecent exposure, but the judge throws the book at him anyways!

Next week: church attempts to fund the $100,000 bail as set by the court.

[kysrsoze]

6. Hope this scumfuck enjoys prison. Karma's a b****.

[Jenoch]

7. Religion has nothing to do with this crime.

I don't know what he did to that girl, but he needs to serve some time in prison.

[logosoco]

9. No it really didn't. But we have seen people doing this as they hide behind a religious front. nt

[Xithras]

10. The statute of limitations is going to make prosecuting this difficult.

Last I heard, NY required victims to come forward by age 23 if they were molested. The victim was a relative of his first wife, who he divorced in the late 70's. At the youngest, that victim would be in her early 40's today. California law doesn't have that limitation, so he might be able to be prosecuted here if the two girls he exposed himself to in the 90's can be identified, but he claims that it was simply exposure, which is only a crime if a prosecutor can PROVE that it was done in a sexually suggestive manner (Nudity, even in front of children, isn't a crime in California if sexual activity is not involved).

People have been trying to get the law changed in NY for years, but I haven't heard about them being successful yet. The state is one of the worst in the nation when it comes to their prohibitions against prosecuting old cases.