Adult film actress Mercedes Carrera, known to fans as Melinda Smith, and pornographic film producer and director Jason Whitney were arrested on Tuesday, facing allegations of sexual abuse of a young child, CBS Los Angeles reported. Authorities indicate there may be additional victims abused by Smith and Whitney.
The Rancho Cucamonga Police Department initiated an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a minor on January 31st. Smith and Whitney are accused of “inappropriate touching, oral copulation, and digital penetration.” A search of their residence yielded evidence that corroborated the young girl’s detailed interview, including two loaded handguns and a bedroom equipped as a “set” for recording pornographic content. The alleged abuse spanned a period of four months.
A porn actress & producer charged with 8 counts of sexual acts with a child under 10. Detectives say the bedroom in their Rancho Cucamonga apartment was set up like a film set & contained evidence that substantiated the victim’s story. PD believes there may be more victims @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/o4f5IYnabN
On Wednesday, both Whitney and Mercedes Carrera pleaded not guilty to eight counts each of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 10. They were denied bail and remain in custody.
Beyond her career in adult entertainment, Mercedes Carrera has also gained notoriety within the right-wing Gamergate movement. This movement, sparked by false claims against game developer Zoe Quinn in 2014, involved the harassment of women in the video game industry. Despite claims of fighting journalistic bias in games media, many core assertions of Gamergate were proven false, including the allegation of a quid pro quo relationship between a developer and a reviewer.
Mercedes Carrera rose to prominence within this movement and the broader far-right, appearing on shows hosted by right-wing figures like conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson and Gavin McInnes, founder of the extremist group the Proud Boys.
In a Daily Caller profile, Mercedes Carrera, also known as Melinda Smith, voiced strong opinions against feminists and “SJWs” or social justice warriors, a derogatory term used by conservative critics against civil rights activists. “We all get to make the choice every single day about who we want to be,” Carrera stated.
Due to the potential for further victims, the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department has released photographs of Smith and Whitney. They urge anyone with information or who may have been victimized under similar circumstances to contact the Rancho Cucamonga Detective Bureau at (909) 477-2800, extension 2850.
