Los Angeles police are asking for the general public’s assist to find witnesses and potential victims within the case of a Hollywood photographer charged with sexually assaulting three younger males aspiring to be fashions.
William Isaac Thomas Jr., 49, offered himself as an trade professional to younger males after which after they employed him as their agent, “pressured them to undergo sexual assault beneath duress,” in keeping with an LAPD assertion.
The district legal professional’s workplace charged Thomas in Might with a half-dozen felonies, together with sodomy, in reference to three males, who had been between the ages of 18 and 20 on the time. The LAPD mentioned Friday that detectives have recognized three different shoppers Thomas allegedly assaulted and consider he’s “chargeable for further unreported sexual assaults.”
Thomas was arrested out of state and extradited to L.A., the place he was jailed Wednesday, police mentioned. He’s being held on $1.5-million bail and couldn’t be reached for remark. The costs carry a possible life sentence.
The investigation into Thomas started in March 2023 when an 18-year-old reported being “sexually battered” on the photographer’s residence, in keeping with an LAPD press launch. Intercourse crimes detectives turned up further proof suggesting Thomas had assaulted different younger males between the ages of 17 and 21 and threatened to destroy their careers in the event that they protested, police mentioned.
The alleged assaults occurred between 2017 and final yr, in keeping with the district legal professional’s workplace.
“He preyed upon younger males by promising them jobs and financial alternatives he by no means delivered,” LAPD Det. Brent Hopkins mentioned in an announcement. “As soon as he made them reliant on him, the abuse started.”
Releasing a photograph of Thomas after his arrest, the detective mentioned, “Now that he’s not capable of hurt these victims, hopefully extra will have the ability to inform their story.”
