Hollywood appears to be a hotbed for sexual predators, we’ve been hearing of cases involving famous individuals who’ve committed heinous crimes for too long.
It’s around that time that the Los Angeles police have decided to investigate nearly two dozen cases of alleged criminal sexual misconduct that are connected to multiple people within the entertainment industry.
The Senior Department official revealed that the cases involve individuals who are known publicly, as well as others who have not yet been identified.
The allegations range from felony rape to misdemeanor sexual battery, and in many cases, there are multiple complaints lodged against the same individual. The number of investigations is expected to increase as calls from victims continuing to roll in.
The police authorities are yet to announce the individuals that are under investigation. The law enforcement's response comes after a mounting list of Hollywood heavy hitters, including Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey. His representatives said earlier this month that the actor "is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment."
An announcement was made by Netflix in which it revealed that it will cut ties with Spacey adding that it would be suspending production of the sixth season of the D.C.-based drama "House of Cards."
The authorities in New York have already said that a rape allegation against film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has seen more than 85 women accuse him of sexual misconduct, is "credible." They are collecting more evidence to build the case.
"We have an actual case here," NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told reporters earlier this month.
At least four sexual misconduct or sexual assault investigations connected to Weinstein are underway in the Los Angeles area and they have been confirmed to be ongoing.
Weinstein’s representatives have said in a previous statement that "any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by him" and that he did not retaliate against women who rejected his advances.
Following the accusations issued against several individuals, the Los Angeles County prosecutors formed a new task force of veteran sex crimes prosecutors to handle possible criminal charges spurring from the investigations.
The task force is expected to "ensure a uniformed approach to the legal review and possible prosecution of any case that meets both the legal and factual standards for criminal prosecution," Los Angeles County district attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement last week.
Approximately 30 "courtesy reports" have been collected by the LAPD since they take a victim's statement before referring the case to law enforcement agencies in other parts of the country as well as overseas for investigation, the senior department official said.
