LOS ANGELES — Grownup movie actor Ron Jeremy leveraged the novelty of his movie star to fulfill and sometimes isolate ladies whom he raped and sexually assaulted, utilizing the identical techniques for years, in accordance with grand jury testimony from 21 ladies that was unsealed Saturday.
“Would not it’s humorous if we obtained an image and an autograph from him?” one lady, recognized solely as Jane Doe 8, stated she remembered telling her buddy after they noticed Jeremy in 2013 at a West Hollywood bar and grill. He would sexually assault her minutes later, testified the girl, one among a number of who stated their assaults got here in the identical small rest room.
“I used to be like, wow, you already know, that is Ron Jeremy, I imply, I used to be type of impressed. I am like he is — I do not wish to say ‘movie star,’ however you already know, he type of was,” stated one other lady, Jane Doe 7, when Jeremy got here to the door of the Hollywood resort room she was sharing with pals, the place the porn actor would rape her quickly after, in accordance with her testimony.
Jeremy, 68, whose authorized identify is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, pleaded not responsible to greater than 30 counts of sexual assault, together with 12 counts of rape, when the Los Angeles County grand jury returned an indictment towards him on Aug. 25.
He has been in jail since his arrest in June 2020. His lawyer, Stuart Goldfarb, has stated he’s “harmless of all the fees” and they might show it. An e mail in search of additional remark from Goldfarb on Saturday was not instantly returned.
Nicknamed “The Hedgehog,” Jeremy has been among the many best-known and most prolific performers within the porn business for many years, and have become a recognizable pop cultural novelty by way of actuality reveals, public appearances and music movies. He has lengthy been a magnet for seekers of autographs and selfies, which is how a lot of the ladies and ladies aged 15 to 51 he’s accused of assaulting first met him.
Some did not even acknowledge him initially, however they got here into his orbit due to the air of fame round him. A girl whom Jeremy is charged with sexually assaulting when she was 15 in 2004 stated she approached him at a rave he was internet hosting in Santa Clarita, California.
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“I did not know who he was, however I simply — everybody instructed me he was well-known so I used to be excited to fulfill a celeb,” stated the girl, now 33, often called Jane Doe 5.
After they met, he invited her backstage, the place he requested her if she needed to see “one thing cool,” then lifted her within the air, put his hand beneath her skirt and molested her, she stated.
Many ladies described Jeremy utilizing the identical strategies in the identical locations.
He was a preferred common on the Rainbow Bar and Grill on the Sundown Strip in West Hollywood, the place he had permission to make use of the worker rest room.
He would lure ladies there by providing to indicate them the kitchen the place the restaurant made its well-known pizzas, or by telling them he knew a toilet they may use when the general public restrooms have been closed after final name.
He would comply with them into the small area, lock the door behind them, use his appreciable measurement to dam them from leaving, then rape them or interact in different sexual assault, a number of ladies testified.
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Jane Doe 8 stated that earlier than her assault, she instructed Jeremy they have been staying on the Loew’s Hollywood Resort however didn’t inform him the room quantity. He appeared on the door the following day, she stated.
“I’ve connections throughout this city,” she remembered him saying when she requested how he discovered them. She had not instructed her buddy, Jane Doe 7, in regards to the assault, and failed in her makes an attempt to get her out of the room, the place Jeremy would rape her, in accordance with their testimony.
A number of ladies stated Jeremy requested them to write down a observe about their expertise on a serviette or scrap of paper in what prosecutors referred to as an try to achieve proof of consent after the actual fact. The ladies, beneath duress and trying to get away, typically complied.
Jeremy additionally gave some victims money after the assaults for what prosecutors stated have been comparable causes.
“He simply out of nowhere simply tossed cash at me,” stated a lady who obtained a $100 invoice from Jeremy after she stated he raped her in 2019 within the Rainbow Bar and Grill’s rest room.
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The lady’s boyfriend and brother had warned her to avoid Jeremy earlier within the night when she requested who he was, however she took an image with him anyway when she noticed a number of others doing it.
She testified that she obtained into the automotive with them holding the money and stated, “This got here from that man you guys instructed me to avoid. He simply raped me within the rest room.”
The lady went to the police about an hour later, changing into one of many few who reported their assaults instantly. Some stated Jeremy’s standing as a porn performer stored them from going to the authorities for years.
“He is a celeb and what he is recognized for is having intercourse with individuals on digital camera for cash,” stated Jane Doe 7, who like lots of the accusers got here ahead solely after Jeremy was arrested final 12 months.
“I assumed there is no such thing as a means anybody goes to consider me, and I simply needed to get out of there and overlook all about it.”
Related Press author Kathleen Foody contributed to this story from Chicago.
If you’re a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN gives help by way of the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE & online.rainn.org).
