Adult film star Ron Jeremy has been charged with raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth, prosecutors say.
He is accused of attacking the women between 2014 and 2019. The alleged victims were aged between 25 and 46.
The 67-year-old is one of the biggest names in pornography and has featured in more than 2,000 films dating back to the 1970s.
If convicted, he faces up to 90 years behind bars. He denies the charges.
Mr Jeremy, whose real name is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, stands accused of raping a 25-year-old woman at a house in West Hollywood, according to a statement from Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey.
He allegedly sexually assaulted two women, ages 33 and 46, on separate occasions at a West Hollywood bar in 2017, the district attorney said. He also is accused of raping a 30-year-old woman at the same bar in July 2019.
A separate case from 2016 was dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Mr Jeremy’s attorney Stuart Goldfarb told AFP news agency the charges were a “surprise”. “He is not a rapist,” he said.
“Ron – over the years, because of who he is – has essentially been a paramour to over 4,000 women,” he said.
“And to allege that he is a rapist is beyond… I mean, women throw themselves at him.”
Mr Jeremy appeared in court Tuesday, wearing handcuffs and a face mask, but did not enter a plea.
A judge delayed his arraignment until Friday and set his bail at $6.6 million (£5.27 million).
Dante Rusciolelli, Mr Jeremy’s manager, told US media he was dropping the actor as a client.
In 2017, Rolling Stone reported that more than a dozen women had accused Mr Jeremy of sexual misconduct, including groping, inappropriate touching, non-consensual digital penetration, and sexual assault.
He told the magazine he had “never and would never rape anyone”.
Mr Jeremy is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for “Most Appearances in Adult Films” and was the subject of the 2001 documentary Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy.
He has also made numerous cameo appearances in computer games, Hollywood films and music videos, including for Moby, Guns N’ Roses, Armin Van Buuren and LMFAO’s Sexy and I Know It.
