7th Heaven recluse Stephen Collins, 76, drives modest car & deposits bottles near Iowa home after admitting to sex abuse | 262Z0R9 | 2024-05-03 13:08:01
7th Heaven recluse Stephen Collins, 76, drives modest car & deposits bottles near Iowa home after admitting to sex abuse | 262Z0R9 | 2024-05-03 13:08:01
ACTOR Stephen Collins has been photographed for the first time in five years near his Iowa home after the once-beloved 7th Heaven star turned disgraced when he admitted to sexual abuse involving minors.
Stephen, 76, played Reverend Eric Camden on the hit WB series 7th Heaven from 1996 to 2007.
The New York Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department each launched separate investigations into Stephen in 2012, while the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department looked into a third sexual abuse incident in 2014.
Though Stephen admitted to the sexual abuse of three underage girls from 1973 to 1994, he was never charged with the crimes.
The U.S. Sun has now obtained exclusive photos of the disgraced star, who fled from Los Angeles to live a reclusive life in rural Fairfield, Iowa.
In the rare photos, Stephen was seen pumping gas close to his $557,500 house on Monday, April 28.
He was photographed cleaning the windows of his modest Toyota SUV before driving to a nearby supermarket.
Stephen parked close to the entrance and carried two six-packs of empty bottles to deposit inside for change.
After depositing the bottles, Stephen took out cash at the grocery store's ATM, though he struggled with the machine and spent around 10 minutes withdrawing bills.
Stephen tried to remain incognito while running errands by wearing a baseball cap and glasses.
He did not interact with others, as he kept his head down and appeared anxious throughout the outing.
The former actor wore a blue baseball-style shirt with jeans and sneakers for the casual afternoon.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> In contrast to his clean-cut appearance while in the spotlight, Stephen had white facial hair.
He is still married to his third wife, Jenny Nagel, as he was seen wearing his gold wedding ring.
PRIVATE LIVING
The U.S. Sun confirmed through property records that Stephen bought his Fairfield, Iowa home in August 2017 and added his 36-year-old wife to the deed in December 2021.
The modest 2,447 square-foot home boasts three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The ranch-style house features an office, meditation room, screen porch, two-car garage, access to walking trails and more peaceful amenities.
Stephen, who was born in Des Moines, Iowa, hasn't been photographed since November 2019 when Daily Mail obtained photos of him and his wife at breakfast with friends.
Stephen did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun's request for comment.
Stephen looked different from his clean-cut days, as he now has a white beard[/caption]
He kept his head down and did not socialize with others during the afternoon outing[/caption]
Stephen is seen washing the windows of his Toyota SUV[/caption]
Stephen wore a long-sleeve shirt and jeans with a hat[/caption]
THIRD MARRIAGE
The Daily Mail reported Stephen and his German-born wife were married in July 2019.
The outlet claimed she was a superfan of the show, and posted about the series and his character 10 years before their marriage.
The couple attends transcendental meditation sessions at the nearby members-only Maharishi Vedic City.
Stephen was previously married to Marjorie Weinman from 1970 to 1978 and Faye Grant, who he shares a 35-year-old daughter with, from 1985 to 2015.
He was married to Faye Grant from 1985 to 2015[/caption]
Stephen first admitted to the sexual abuse of minors when audio from one of their counseling sessions leaked[/caption]
Stephen, seen on 7th Heaven, credits religion for not committing another assault since 1994[/caption]
SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIMS
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stephen admitted to his second wife, Faye, that he had been sexually inappropriate with three minor girls aged 11 to 13 from 1973 to 1994.
The couple separated in February 2012 and he filed for divorce in May of that year.
TMZ released leaked audio in 2014 of Stephen confessing to the sexual abuse taken during one of the couple's counseling sessions.
The audio was leaked back in 2012 to the NYPD and LAPD, who launched investigations, as the LASD then launched an investigation in 2014.
In October 2014, TMZ reported Stephen would not be charged in all three of the investigations.
The outlet reported the three cases are decades old and are barred by the statute of limitations.
<!--googleoff: all--> <blockquote class="article__quote"> </blockquote> <!--googleon: all--> STEPHEN SPEAKS OUT
In a December 2014 statement to People magazine, Stephen confessed to the incidents and claimed, "I have not had an impulse to act out in any such way."
He said, "Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret. I have been working to atone for it ever since. I've decided to address these issues publicly because two months ago, various news organizations published a recording made by my then-wife, Faye Grant, during a confidential marriage therapy session in January 2012.
"This session was recorded without the therapist's or my knowledge or consent.
"On the recording, I described events that took place 20, 32 and 40 years ago. The publication of the recording has resulted in assumptions and innuendos about what I did that go far beyond what actually occurred. As difficult as this is, I want people to know the truth."
He continued regarding apologizing to his three victims, "I did have an opportunity to do so with one of the women, 15 years later. I apologized and she was extraordinarily gracious.
"But after I learned in the course of my treatment that my being direct about such matters could actually make things worse for them by opening old wounds, I have not approached the other two women, one of whom is now in her 50s and the other in her 30s."
'I'M A FLAWED PERSON'
Then in an interview with Katie Couric that same month, he admitted of the 1973 incident, "I knew that something unthinkably wrong had just happened that I couldn't take back."
He credited therapy and religion for not committing another sexual abuse since 1994.
Stephen said, "I'm a flawed person. And in the church, it's actually one of the things I love about the church… it's really one of the main things about the Christian faith.
"Christ said in so many ways, 'bring me that… which about you is broken, bring it,' and most people are broken in some way."
Stephen was fired from his acting jobs and 7th Heaven reruns were temporarily pulled.
Stephen lives in rural Fairfield, Iowa[/caption]
He is married to superfan Jenny Nagel and is seen wearing his wedding ring[/caption]
Stephen was not charged because of the statute of limitations[/caption]
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
More >> https://ift.tt/fQ4egyx Source: MAG NEWS
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