Elmo voice actor Kevin Clash sued over allegations of crystal meth-fueled sex parties

There are now four lawsuits against the former puppeteer

Published March 20, 2013 1:02PM (EDT)

Months after Elmo voice actor Kevin Clash resigned from "Sesame Street" over accusations that he engaged in sexual acts with teenage boys, a Pennsylvania man, Sheldon Stephens, 24, is suing the puppeteer, alleging that Clash gave him drugs and engaged in sexual activity in 2008. This is the fourth lawsuit against the voice actor alleging sex abuse.

From the lawsuit, via the New York Post:

" 'On one occasion, a male chauffeur drove Clash and Sheldon to the chauffeur’s apartment, where they had a crystal meth sex party,' said the lawsuit, filed in a Pennsylvania federal court.

'While in the apartment, Clash smoked crystal meth while engaging in sexual activity with Sheldon.' "

The lawsuit comes after Stephens, the first man to publicly accuse Clash of sexual abuse late last year, later recanted his accusation and signed a statement saying that he had "an adult consensual relationship" with Clash. Stephens is stepping forward now to "save other children."

“It disgusted me inside because I knew what had happened to me,” he said. “That motivated me and my parents to reach out to ‘Sesame Street’ and kind of warn them against Kevin Clash and about him potentially harming other children."

Miami attorney Jeff Harmon, who represents all four cases against Clash, told the Baltimore Sun that “All these victims have alleged to me that Kevin Clash was this father figure who offered to help them and groom them with attention and fairly quickly it turned into a sexual relationship."

So far Clash, 52, has denied the allegations. Clash's lawyer, however, called the case "meritless," saying "Mr. Clash continues to deny any wrongdoing and we intend to defend this case forcefully.”


By Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com.

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Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Crystal Meth Drugs Elmo Kevin Clash Sesame Street Sheldon Stephens