LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Stephen Collins might not be prosecuted in the molestation of three minors decades ago.
The former 7th Heaven star confessed to having exposed himself to three teenagers ages 11-13 and to having put his penis in one of their hands in an audio recording supposedly released by his estranged wife Faye Grant and published on TMZ earlier this month. However, sources close to the situation told the entertainment website prosecution will likely be "barred by the statue of limitations."
Both the LAPD and NYPD have opened investigations regarding Collin's alleged confession, but insiders affirm the victim who stepped forward in NYC has the best chance in her case, since she reported the incident only two years ago. The allegations, however, involve an incident that took place in the '70s.
Grant has stated that Collins molested a minor while he was shooting 7th Heaven -- sometime between 1996 and 2007 -- but the victim has yet to come forward.
Two of the three victims Collins mentioned in the recording have already been identified. The first victim is known to be a relative of his first wife, Marjorie Weinman, and another came forward in LA last week. Authorities are reportedly working on tracking down the third victim, who has supposedly already been identified as a girl who used to babysit Collins' daughter with Grant.
While the actor might not end up being prosecuted for the molestation claims, both he and his wife are expected to bring up the tape during a divorce proceeding scheduled for Nov. 12. Grant's team will touch on the tape arguing they expect Grant's divorce settlement should be protected in case the victims decided to sue the actor later on, and Collins' team will argue Grant used the recording as extortion.
Collins has been in hiding since the allegations came to light, but his career has taken a very public hit -- he resigned from the Screen Actors Guild board and was dropped from the upcoming film Ted 2, the television series Scandal and his talent agency -- following the release of the recording.
