L.A. photographer charged with sexually assaulting 3 models

A photographer who represented himself as an expert in the modeling industry has been charged with sexually assaulting three young people who were pursuing modeling careers in Los Angeles between 2017 and 2023, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Friday.

William Isaac Thomas Jr., 49, is set to be arraigned July 22 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on three counts of oral copulation, two counts of sodomy by use of force and one count of attempted sodomy of an unconscious or asleep victim, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors allege that Thomas sexually assaulted the first victim -- who was 18 at the time -- as that person was pursuing a modeling career beginning in 2017 through 2020, and that he allegedly sexually assaulted a second victim until 2023 after establishing a working relationship when that person was 19 to 20. The genders of both alleged victims were not immediately disclosed.

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Thomas is also accused of beginning a working relationship with a third alleged victim, a man who was 19 at the time in 2022, and sexually assaulting him until 2023, according to the D.A.'s Office.

Thomas was arrested Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Department's Fugitives unit, and he has remained behind bars in lieu of just over $1.5 million bail since then, jail records show.

"The courage these young survivors have shown in coming forward after enduring this unimaginable trauma and suffering cannot be overstated, and we stand with them in their pursuit of justice and healing," Gascón said in a statement announcing the charges.

"The alleged actions of Mr. William Thomas Jr. are reprehensible. Exploiting a position of authority to prey on vulnerable teenagers is an egregious abuse of power that our society cannot and will not tolerate. We are committed to holding the offender accountable for their actions and ensuring that justice is served."

Thomas faces a maximum of life in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney's Office.

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