Sheldon Stephens Is the Man Who Tried to Take Down Elmo
According to The Smoking Gun, Sheldon Stephens is the man who accused Elmo voice actor Kevin Clash of having a sexual relationship with him when he was under age. Yesterday, Stephans recanted his allegations but not before the scandal forced Clash to take a hiatus from Sesame Street. Clash insisted throughout the ordeal that the relationship occurred after Stephens had turned 18.
Stephens is a 24-year-old "model/actor" who lives in Pennsylvania and was previously arrested for robbing $250,000 in jewelry from a music manager at knife point. It's not known how the relationship with Clash began or how long it lasted, but a friend of Stephens noted that he "attracts these high-powered men." The same friend also said Stephens was a "God-fearing guy" and "not just a pretty boy."
The Smoking Gun also reports that Andreozzi & Associates, the law firm that issued the statement yesterday absolving Clash of wrongdoing, no longer represents Stephens and issued the statement as a courtesy. The lawyer who represented Stephens said he "will have no further comment on the matter."
TMZ reports that just before Stephens recanted, his attorneys were discussing a six-figure settlement with Clash's lawyer, although it's not clear if those talks were what prompted Stephens to admit his deception.
Now that that's settled, let's revisit the entire ordeal in the form of Gawker's family friendly Elmo Sex Scandal Explainer.