TMZ has reportedly obtained audio recording of former "7th Heaven" star Stephen Collins confessing to his estranged wife, actress Faye Grant, that he molested and exposed himself to at least three young girls.
Collins and Grant are in the middle of a long and drawn out divorce, but the actor apparently confessed his crimes during a therapy session that Grant secretly recorded in 2012, according to the website.
An official in the The New York Police Department told TMZ they are now in possession of the tape, and have started an official criminal investigation of the 67-year-old actor for "inappropriate sexual contact with minors." According to the official, there are "at least three victims."
On the tape, the voice TMZ identifies as Collins' is heard saying he molested an 11-year-old relative of his first wife, Marjorie Weinman, several times.
"There was one moment of touching where her hand, I put her hand on my penis," Collins admits, and also acknowledges that he exposed himself to the girl "a couple of times."
The publicist listed as Collins' representative no longer works for the actor; HuffPost Entertainment contacted his agents to see if they had any comment on the tape. This post will be updated if and when they respond.
To hear the audio tape of Collins' confession, head over to TMZ.
UPDATE: Stephen Collins has now been dropped from the film "Ted 2," Entertainment Weekly reports.
According the website, representatives for the film confirmed the firing, but the filmmakers declined any further comment.
UPDATE 2: TMZ reports that the Los Angeles Police Department actually launched an investigation into molestation allegations against Stephen Collins in November 2012.
An LAPD official told the website they received the audiotape posted by TMZ on Oct. 7, back in 2012, but closed the case because there was "no verified victim," suggesting the investigation was prompted by a tip.
Now, the LAPD official told TMZ they are working with the NYPD and "re-listening" to the tape and "revisiting" the investigation to see if they "missed anything" back in 2012.
UPDATE 3: A rep for SAG/AFTRA confirmed to TMZ that following the release of his confessional tapes, Stephen Collins resigned from his position on the National Board of the Screen Actors Guild.