The New York Police Department has launched an investigation into actor Stephen Collins after he confessed to allegedly molesting three young girls. According to TMZ, Collins is going through a bitter divorce battle with estranged wife Faye Grant and his confession was secretly taped during the couple's therapy session a few years ago.
Back in 2012, Collins - best known for his role as Pastor Eric Camden on "7th Heaven" - revealed to his wife and a therapist that he had allegedly inappropriately touched and/or exposed himself to several young girls. A source told TMZ that Collins and Grant went to see a therapist and the actor was questioned about the alleged molestations.
The 67-year-old not only confessed but gave graphic details about the encounters. According to TMZ, Collins didn't know he was being taped. Reportedly, Grant was urged to secretly record the therapy session so she could gather more evidence for a possible felony charge against Collins. Molestation of a child under the age of 14 qualifies as a felony.
In the audio, Collins admits that one of the alleged victims was as young as 11-years-old. Another girl, who has not been named due to the sensitivity of the allegations, was around 11-years-old. Reportedly she was a relative of Collins' first wife.
"There was one moment of touching where her hand, I put her hand on my penis," Collins whispers in the tape.
He then admits that he exposed himself to the girl "a couple of times," including when she was 12 and 13. The third minor was a girl who lived near Collins. A source told TMZ that she was originally from New York and was 12 or 13 when she allegedly molested by the actor.
Reportedly, during the therapy session Collins told his wife that he later apologized to the girl. The NYPD has already interviewed Grant and a police official told TMZ that there are "at least three victims" that they know of.
Collins starred on "7th Heaven" from 1996 to 2007 and went on to appear in the ABC Family show "The Fosters" and had a role on "Revolution."
