“Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” star Paul Reubens has been dragged back into a child porn scandal.
A year after cops armed with search warrants raided his house and removed pornographic material Reubens was charged with possession of material depicting an underage child engaged in sexual conduct — a misdemeanor. The comedian’s actor acquaintance Jeffrey Jones, whose home was also raided last year, was arrested on November 14 on suspicion of abusing a teenage boy.
Last fall The ENQUIRER reported exclusively that sex crimes cops for the Los Angeles Police Department seized thousands of pornographic photos, as well as computers containing lewd images from the homes of Reubens and Jones.
The raid and the recent allegations stem from a complaint by a 15-year-old boy, alleging “criminal acts of a sexual nature” against Jones, according to police. A police investigation turned up damning evidence that included Polaroid pictures of underage males performing solo sex acts.
Jones, 56 — best known for his roles in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Beetlejuice” — now faces a felony charge of using a minor in a sexually oriented film, and a misdemeanor charge of possessing child pornography. He was freed on $20,000 bail and scheduled to appear in court for arraignment November 21.
Reubens has consistently maintained his innocence.
“For the last year the Los Angeles District Attorney thoroughly investigated each and every claim made,” said Reubens’ attorney, Blair Berk.
“They concluded this case was unworthy of prosecution for any offenses, including the misdemeanor that is now somehow being resuscitated.”
After last year’s police raid, Reubens’ attorney maintained that the items seized were erotic art from the comedian’s extensive collection.
“Paul is very nervous, very fearful at this point,” said an insider. “Naturally, he and Jones were both hopeful that nothing would ever come of the police inquiry. But the police were persistent in following up on the allegations. Representatives of the LAPD’s Sexually Exploited Child Unit went through every single scrap of evidence.
“They scoured the hard drives of both Reubens’ and Jones’ computer, even trying to find erased files and e-mails for additional evidence.”
For Jones, the criminal charges could be extremely damaging, the insider said.
“He’s come to be known for making many films aimed at youngsters, like ‘Dr. Dolittle 2,'” said the insider. “If he’s convicted, this could ruin him.”
And Reubens’ situation is equally serious. The star had finally managed to put a July 1991 indecent exposure arrest in Sarasota, Fla., behind him — and he’s recently made strides in rebuilding his career.
Jones’ attorney Jeff Brodey tried to downplay the charges.
“This is all about photos,” Brodey stated. “There are no allegations of any touching or any improper acts with a minor.”
But sources say Jones is panicked and had tried to make his sordid problems disappear through negotiation.
“There were whispers that Jones and his attorneys were trying to cut a deal with the family of the minor featured in the film that Jones allegedly took,” said the insider. “Word was that a substantial amount of money had been offered to the youth. But apparently the deal fell through.”
