Hollywood photographer accused of sexually harassing aspiring models

Los Angeles police are asking the public for help in locating witnesses and possible victims in the case of a Hollywood photographer who is accused of sexually assaulting three young men who were aspiring to become models.

William Isaac Thomas Jr., 49, presented himself to young men as an industry expert and then, after they hired him as their agent, “coerced them into undergoing sexual assault,” the LAPD said in a statement.

Prosecutors charged Thomas in May with a half-dozen serious crimes, including sodomy, involving three men who were then between the ages of 18 and 20. The LAPD said Friday that investigators had identified three other clients Thomas allegedly assaulted and that they believe he was “responsible for additional unreported sexual assaults.”

Thomas was arrested out of state and extradited to LA, where he was taken into custody Wednesday, police said. He is being held on $1.5 million bail and could not be reached for comment. The charge carries a possible life sentence.

The investigation into Thomas began in March 2023 when an 18-year-old reported being “sexually assaulted” in the photographer’s apartment, according to an LAPD press release. Sex Crimes Unit investigators found further evidence that Thomas had attacked other young men between the ages of 17 and 21 and threatened to ruin their careers if they protested, police said.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, the alleged attacks occurred between 2017 and last year.

“He exploited young men by promising them jobs and financial opportunities that he never delivered,” LAPD Detective Brent Hopkins said in a statement. “When he made them dependent on him, the abuse began.”

The detective released a photo of Thomas after his arrest and said, “Now that he can no longer harm these victims, hopefully more people will be able to tell their story.”